FORMER Mayor Michael Rama rejected the Commission on Elections’ ruling that disqualifies him from seeking the mayoralty in the May 2025 poll, insisting the decision is not final and will be challenged.
Rama, in a press conference on Friday, Nov. 14, expressed disappointment and frustration on Comelec’s decision, describing the case as part of a long-running pattern of political challenges lodged against him throughout his 36-year career in public service.
The Comelec First Division has granted a petition for disqualification against the mayoral candidacy of Rama in the 2025 national and local elections. The petition was filed by Barangay Adlaon voter Jundel Bontuyan.
In a resolution dated Nov. 11, the Comelec First Division cited the guilty verdict issued by the Office of the Ombudsman, which found Rama guilty of nepotism and grave misconduct.
The Ombudsman imposed the penalty of dismissal from office, with the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from reemployment in government service.
Rama finished third in the mayoral race in the recent elections, behind current Mayor Nestor Archival and former mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia.
Despite his electoral loss, Rama remained politically active. He continued to assert the Ombudsman’s ruling was unfair and should not permanently bar him from serving.
Legal remedies
Rama argued the Comelec decision is not yet executory. He said his camp is preparing the necessary legal remedies to challenge the ruling before the Comelec en banc or the courts.
“When will this ever end? What else is new? After 36 years of service without corruption, I could have retired quietly. But I will not surrender to the satisfaction of those who orchestrate these persecutions,” he said.
“It is not the end. It is merely the beginning of a long and thorny road toward truth, freedom and justice,” he added.
He accused unnamed individuals of pushing “manipulative narratives and twisted conclusions.”
These narratives, he said, mislead the public about the nature of the Ombudsman ruling and its implications on his eligibility.
Rama thanked his family, supporters and political allies from Partido Barug, Team Rama and the Rama Foundation. He said their continued loyalty strengthens his resolve to fight the disqualification case.
For now, Rama maintains he will continue to challenge the ruling and defend his eligibility. “This is not over,” he said. / CAV