Osmeña files complaint vs Rama for photo on City Hall envelope

Thursday, September 22, 2011

REP. Tomas Osmeña’s (Cebu City, south district) criticism of former party-mate Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has taken the form of a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a letter to Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Santiago yesterday, Osmeña accused the mayor of violating a memo that prohibits officials from putting their names, initials and images on government projects and properties.

Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos.

While doing so, Osmeña said, Rama allegedly caused other public officers to perform acts that also violate the law.

These, the congressman said, constituted a corrupt practice.

His accusations cut both ways, said Rama in an interview yesterday.

“I’m being accused of putting my name on paper that people will throw away after use.

How long will it take for his name to disappear from where it is painted at? Let’s not even talk about that,” Rama said in Cebuano.

Assistance

At the heart of Osmeña’s four-page complaint are the envelopes that bear Rama’s photo, name and signature. The envelopes contained the P2,000 cash assistance that City Hall recently gave to 45,000 senior citizens.

Each envelope bears a note that reads: “Kining maong gasa kinasingkasing nga gipadangat kanimo timaan sa among pag-ila og patamod sa imong mga natampo alang sa kahapsay ug kalambuan sa atong Dakbayan sa Sugbo. Mahigugmaon, Michael L. Rama (This gift is given to you as heartfelt appreciation of your contribution to the peace and development of Cebu City. Lovingly, Michael L. Rama).”

Rama said he has not received a copy of Osmeña’s complaint, but added that he has directed City Administrator Poblete to prepare a new batch of envelopes that will no longer contain either his name or picture.

He said he wants to correct the notion that he is using government resources to advance his personal interests.

New

He denied having ordered the printing of his picture on the envelopes.

He said artists at the General Services Office conceptualized and printed the envelopes on their own initiative.

“I was just surprised when I saw it for the first time and felt grateful. I’ve asked them to make a new one that has images of the City and the City Council instead,” Mayor Rama said.

The City Council is headed by Vice Mayor Joy Young, whose office released a copy of Osmeña’s complaint to the media.

Rama said he also did not order the use of the envelopes in the distribution of the financial assistance to the senior citizens.

Memo

He said Osmeña’s accusation was “no big deal” and added that he will answer it.

Osmeña said that by causing the printing of the envelope, Rama violated a Department of Interior and Local Government memorandum circular dated Sept. 23, 2010.

The circular bans “names or initials and/or images or pictures of government officials in billboards and signage of government programs, projects and properties.”

“The practice of putting billboards or signages bearing the names, initials and images of government officials on government programs and projects has been noticeably abused and misused by some public officials for their personal interest,” said Osmeña.

Taxpayers’ money

Osmeña said the circular is implemented in Cebu City through a memorandum issued by City Administrator Jose Poblete last March 1, 2011.

The former mayor stressed that the envelopes are produced by the General Services Office of Cebu City and are paid for using taxpayers’ money.

He wants the anti-graft office to immediately stop the distribution of the envelopes.

“Mayor Rama’s act serves an improper purpose, which is to advance his own political motives and interests, in the exercise of his discretionary powers,” the congressman said.

Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol, interviewed separately, said action on Osmena’s letter-complaint will be immediate.

The complaint will be endorsed to a subordinate for evaluation today. The evaluation determines what comes next.

The complaint, while bearing the congressman’s signature, was not subscribed and sworn to. This, Apostol explained, meant that it cannot be treated as a formal criminal charge as per anti-graft office rules.

Depending on the result of the evaluation, the matter may be endorsed to one of the anti-graft office’s divisions for case build-up, he said.

The anti-graft office’s rules also allow for mediation. However, Apostol said that option might not apply to Osmeña’s charge.