THE Department of the Interior and Local Government in Central Visayas (DILG 7) has ordered Cebu City Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia to “immediately” exercise powers and functions of a local chief executive in an acting capacity following Mayor Michael Rama’s preventive suspension.
In a memorandum dated May 9, 2024, which SunStar Cebu obtained on Saturday, May 11, DILG 7 director Leocadio Trovela said the preventive suspension order of Rama and six other city government officials is “immediately executory.”
Trovela also said they have already served the respondents the Order of the Ombudsman.
Garcia, in a phone interview on Saturday, May 11, 2024, confirmed that he already received a memorandum from the DILG that advised him to take responsibility for the local chief executive.
He said he received a call from the DILG on Friday, telling him to take command.
Garcia said by virtue of succession, especially in times of the incapacity of the incumbent mayor, and by the time he received the memorandum, he is now the mayor of Cebu City.
When asked if he already talked with Rama, Garcia said he plans to talk with the mayor within the day.
However, Rama refused to comment regarding the memorandum that advised Garcia to take command.
Garcia said that his primary agenda as mayor is to ensure that the workflow at Cebu City Hall remains unhampered. (AML)