Suspended Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama is seeking re-election

Suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael “Mike” Rama filed his certificate of candidacy on Thursday to run for the same position in next year’s national and local elections.

According to GMA’s Balitang Bisdak, Rama will run under the banner of Partido Barug with former basketball player and incumbent vice mayor Dondon Hontiveros, who is seeking re-election.

Rama and Hontiveros were accompanied by their supporters dressed in green and yellow shirts as they reported to the Comelec office in Cebu City.

Rama first held the mayoral post from 2010 to 2016. He ran for his third and final term in 2016, but lost to Tomas Osmeña.

He became vice mayor in 2019 and then took over the mayor’s seat in 2021 after the death of then-mayor Edgardo Labella.

Rama and seven others were preventively suspended in May for a period of six months after the Office of the Ombudsman found sufficient grounds to suspend the mayor for serious misconduct, behavior unbecoming of the public servant, behavior detrimental to the interests of the agency, serious abuse of authority and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees.

The suspension stemmed from a complaint by four permanent employees of the city assessment agency, who have been transferred to another office since July 2023 but have not been paid their salaries and benefits.

Rama was also accused of nepotism in September. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News