Suspended Cebu Metropolis Mayor Michael Rama solutions a couple of questions from the media on this picture taken on August 12, 2024. | CDN Digital picture | Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Workplace of the Ombudsman has advisable elevating to the court docket the nepotism case lodged in opposition to suspended Cebu Metropolis Mayor Michael Rama.
The state’s anti-graft investigating physique discovered possible trigger to indict Rama for 3 counts of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019) over alleged nepotistic appointments in Metropolis Corridor.
The ruling was promulgated on July 31, 2024, however copies of the doc had been solely launched to the general public on Wednesday, September 25.
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It was penned by Myra Nimfa Solidum-Mendieta, Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer.
Based mostly on the 15-page resolution, the Ombudsman said that Rama’s protection over accusations that he appointed two of his brothers-in-law, Gomer Gimenez Mandanat and Elmer Gimenez Mandanat, within the metropolis authorities weren’t convincing.
Elmer and Gomer are brothers of his present spouse, Marilou Gimenez Mandanat-Rama.
Maliciously misled
Rama instructed anti-graft investigators that he was “surreptitiously made to signal the Plantilla of Informal Appointments for Elmer and Gomer and was maliciously misled by the HRMO (Human Sources & Administration Workplace) to signal the topic of appointments of Elmer and Gomer.”
The Ombudsman, in response, mentioned that the suspended mayor’s claims had been unsubstantiated.
“One who alleges a truth has the burden of proving it and a mere allegation is just not proof,” they defined.
“He was anticipated to train due diligence within the efficiency of his duties and a better diploma of circumspection and, essentially, transcend what his subordinates had ready,” they added.
As well as, the Ombudsman identified that the brothers-in-law occurred to be third diploma kin of the suspended mayor.
“As established within the information, the foregoing appointments of Elmer and Gomer… are thought-about nepotistic appointments, the latter being respondent’s kin inside the third civil diploma of affinity,” they mentioned.
Nepotism
Rama’s camp, in response, might be submitting movement for reconsideration in an try and reverse the choice.
“We’re able to take this newest Decision head on, and we’re assured that Mayor Rama will attain justice,” the suspended mayor’s authorized counsel added.
A involved citizen named Jonel Saceda, with an alias “Inday Josa Chongbian Osmeña,” sued Rama for alleged nepotism, grave misconduct, and graft and corruption after the mayor employed his spouse’s two brothers to work below informal employment for the Cebu Metropolis Authorities.
The complainant accused Rama for appointing Elmer as course of server below the Workplace of the Mayor for the interval of July 1, 2022 till December 30, 2022.
He additionally appointed Gomer as administrative aide III below the Cebu Metropolis Medical Middle for the interval of July 1, 2022 till December 31, 2022.
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