21 hours Ago By Pachico A. Seares
CEBU City’s dismissed mayor Michael “Mike” Rama on Friday, February 21, 2025, confronted the city attorney, Santiago Ortiz, about the letter of the City Legal Office demanding the return of a P3 million 2022 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia within 24 hours and threatening criminal and civil complaints in case of failure to comply. The face-to-face exchange of words between the former mayor and the chief of lawyers working for City Hall informed the public on the nature and extent of the dispute over the 14-seater van the LGU bought three years or so ago. Rama told Ortiz in his face that the CLO letter -- dated February 19 and signed “by CLO lawyers” (presumably including Ortiz) -- “insulted me personally.
” The takeaways from the incident, two days after the letter was sent to Rama: [1] “I’VE ALWAYS BEEN LEGAL. I’VE DONE NOTHING WRONG.” Mike Rama did not deny that the city government-owned Toyota Hiace is in his possession and has not yet been returned.
Also, he hasn’t talked about how the vehicles were being used. (Incidentally, would the “For Official Use Only” warning still apply when supposedly he no longer has official duties?) Rama instead asserted he hasn’t done anything wrong and he has always been legal. Thus, the issue to resolve is whether in retaining the vehicle, Mike is doing an illegal act or doing something wrong.
On which rests the question whether he still has the right to privileges or “perks” of a mayor until the Supreme Court finally decides on his dismissal from government service. [2] WHY IT INSULTED MIKE: ‘I’M THE ELECTED MAYOR.’ Rama believes he is still the mayor and entitled to the perks of being mayor.
He was the elected mayor, check, how did the suspension, followed by his dismissal, not take away or at least suspend those rights? Fact: Rama ceased being mayor after he was ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman and Garcia was installed on October 9, 2024, under DILG supervision, as the new mayor. Fact: Rama attempted, or was seen to have tried, at least twice -- in November and December 2024 -- to re-assume his duties as mayor but failed in both instances. A valid question though is whether Rama is entitled to certain rights, at least until after the Supreme Court issues a “final and executory” decision in the litigation over Rama’s dismissal.
Rama thinks it’s his legal right to retain and use the cars. Mayor Garcia -- who Ortiz said ordered the making of the final demand -- disagrees and acts for the City to repossess them. The demand is “a personal insult” to Rama because Mike told Ortiz, “I’m the elected mayor.
” There’s the core of the dispute: theories clash on whether the mayor’s perks survive Rama’s suspension and dismissal. [3] SALT ON WOUND. From what Mike Rama told the CLO department head, the manner the demand was made must have rubbed salt on injury.
The letter was no ordinary demand: It was “final,” an ultimatum; deadline for return of the vehicles was 24 hours or a bare one day; and a threat of criminal and civil action dangled, which would brand the former mayor as a virtual carnapper. Ortiz didn’t argue with Rama during their face-off but City Hall claims that the final demand for the Super Grandia was preceded by “multiple notices” for the return of two service cars, starting on October 18, 2024 and resulting in last week’s return of only one, the Toyota Yaris. To be sure, Rama might have been treated differently though if he were not facing Garcia in the May elections for the same seat of Cebu City chief executive.
Suspicion of politics -- like, Rama allegedly using the car for his campaign and Garcia allegedly wanting to strip the asset from his opponent -- can’t be avoided. If the mayor who took over from Rama were a party-mate or ally -- say, Dondon Hontiveros -- this public “repo” demand wouldn’t have been done. [4] THINGS MIKE WANTED TO ASCERTAIN.
Explaining his “presence” Friday at City Hall, Rama told Ortiz he wanted to know: -- who ordered the demand letter. Ortiz’s reply, “the mayor,” yet hastily adding that it was in the name of the City Government. The lawyers were just doing their job, Ortiz said.
Still, such a big move as publicly seeking the car’s return and threatening to sue Rama couldn’t have been made without the order or approval of the sitting mayor. -- why ‘it came to this.’ “Nganong naabot ani.
.. why I’m confronted with this.
” Rama wanted to see Mayor Garcia to get an answer to his question, ”What’s in the mayor’s mind?” and asked Ortiz to accompany him. The CLO chief begged off, saying he had other things to do. Rama was probably being rhetorical or using the incident to get public sympathy.
As a political veteran, Rama must have seen the assault coming and why. [5] FACE-OFF CAN’T RESOLVE THE ISSUE, said Atty. Ortiz.
The CLO head told Mike Rama, "Just answer the letter and we will respond accordingly." Ortiz is correct but the brief exchange outside the City Legal Office -- caught and circulated on Facebook Live -- provided a chance for Rama to address the public, especially the city’s voters. Mike was thus “enabled” to project the alleged insult and his “personal hurt and pain” even as he asserted in public his purported right over the vehicles.
[6] STILL BETTER THAN PRESSCON. CLO’s Ortiz was as cool as one who’s sure about his law could be. To Rama, though, the occasion was a lot better than a presscon, press availability or press release.
Mike knew that the public loves to watch, on real time to boot, a confrontation over a dispute, potential or actual. The impact of Mike Rama telling Ortiz, “Look at me. Look at me in the eyes,” must not have been lost on many of those watching the video.
Bottom motive could still be politics: to win public opinion to improve chances of election in May. [7] “I’M A LAWYER,” Rama told Ortiz pointedly. Was the reminder necessary? News reporters and most of those watching the video of the scene must know that Mike Rama is also a lawyer.
It has been MLR style to wave his legal education and training in his public utterances, especially when he pushes or defends an argument. Does expertise in the law argue for Rama’s position on the disputed vehicles? It cuts both ways: for him and against him. The reasoning goes this way: Mike is a lawyer, so he must be -- or must sound -- right in his assertions on the law and how it’s interpreted.
But then, the City Government position is presented also by lawyers -- another lawyer, Mayor Atty. Raymond Alvin, and the battery of City Hall lawyers led by CLO’s Atty. Ortiz.
That also means they have legal basis for demanding the return of the vehicles, for their own crew to use..
