Acting mayor to evaluate Rama-appointed employees

Acting mayor to evaluate Rama-appointed employees
Cebu City HallPhoto by Yans Baroy
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FORTY Rama-appointed Cebu City Hall coterminous employees are under review following the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss city mayor Michael Rama from office.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia instructed the City Administrator on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, to list down all coterminous employees and evaluate their employment if their status is necessary for re-employment.

“Ayaw mo kahadlok, ayaw mo kaguol. (Don’t be afraid, and do not worry). Mao raman gihapon ni sa Mayo (May 2025). It’s the same thing, except now I will no longer be serving until Nov. 10, of next month but I will be serving until the finish of the unexpired term of Mayor Mike,” Garcia told the City Hall personnel, after the traditional flag-raising ceremony at City Hall grounds early Monday morning.

He reminded not only the coterminous employees but the rest of the city hall workers to do a better job in the service of the people of Cebu.

Garcia announced during the flag-raising that Rama’s dismissal leaves a permanent vacancy in the position. He said the Local Government Code compels him to assume as the new Cebu City mayor until June 30, 2025.

He added that he will take his oath as the new city mayor before an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) after filing his certificate of candidacy this Oct. 8.

Garcia said the DILG has instructed him to take his oath.

Co-terminous employees

According to guidelines set by the Civil Service Commission, a coterminous status is granted to a person whose service is based on the trust and confidence of the appointing authority, and their termination is subject to the tenure of the appointing officer or incumbent officials.

Garcia assumed acting mayor on May 10, after the Ombudsman preventively suspended Rama for six months over a complaint of four city hall employees, whose salaries were delayed for 10 months.

In a press conference on Monday morning, Garcia said there are around 30-40 city hall employees with “coterminous” status.

In a text message to SunStar Cebu, Human Resource Development Office (HRDO) head Henry Tomalabcab clarified that there are 11 coterminous employees from the Office of the Mayor and another 10 from the Civil Security Unit that are affected by the pending evaluation.

Tomalabcab added that the 161 coterminous employees at the City Council are not affected by the evaluation.

“I will meet them. I will look into their functions, each one of them. Then I will check if they need to be re-appointed,” said Garcia.

SunStar Cebu tried to obtain the names of Rama’s coterminous employees but had not yet received confirmation from Tumalabcab as of writing.

Garcia clarified that he did not personally know the majority of the affected coterminous employees.

‘Ombud decision’

On Thursday, Oct. 3, just hours after the city mayor, who is seeking re-election, filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) under the Partido Barug Team Rama, a copy of the Ombudsman’s decision against him coincidentally went viral online following its release.

The decision includes not only Rama’s dismissal from service but also his perpetual disqualification from holding any public office after the Ombudsman found him guilty of grave misconduct and nepotism for hiring his two brothers-in-law as City Hall employees.

In a statement on Friday, Oct. 4, Garcia told SunStar Cebu that following Rama’s dismissal, he would continue to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the city mayor until Rama has exhausted all legal remedies.

Garcia added that on Monday, the Human Resource and Development Office (HRDO) informed him of the Ombudsman’s decision after the agency received a copy in addition to the sealed copies sent to the Office of the Mayor.

Garcia said he instructed the immediate delivery of the sealed copies to Rama’s address.

Plans

With him as the city mayor, Garcia said he will start the preparation of the Cebu City Sports Center as the venue for the 2025 Sinulog Festival.

He added that the Sinulog venue at the South Road Properties, the location of the Sinulog Festival in 2022 and 2023, will be reserved as a backup venue.

Garcia said he will continue his policies and priority projects, such as improving the health sector, good governance, and Gubat sa Baha (war against flooding), among others. / EHP

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