CEBU CITY – Trouble broke out at the City Hall on Friday, Nov. 8, when supporters of dismissed Mayor Michael Rama gathered outside the building and called for his reinstatement.
POLICE try to handcuff former City Administrator Collin Rosell who stormed the Cebu City Hall on Friday, Nov. 8, to insist that dismissed Mayor Michael Rama is still the city’s authorized chief executive. (Facebook live screengrab)
Tension escalated further when former City Administrator Collin Rosell arrived at the City Hall and took over.
The drama ended when police led by Cebu City Police Office chief Police Col. Antonietto Cañete arrested Rosell for usurpation of authority.
Prior to the arrest, Rama’s supporters gathered outside the City Hall and demanded Mayor Raymond Garcia to relinquish his post in favor of Rama.
Carrying placards with words “no to fake mayor" and "mananapaw (usurper) fake oath-taking," Rama’s supporters insisted that he was still the legitimate mayor.
The Office of the Ombudsman had dismissed Rama for nepotism after he hired two brothers-in-law in the city government.
Rama’s lead counsel Estong Rama insisted that the dismissal lacks legal grounds, saying that they did not receive the Ombudsman’s decision on the nepotism case.
Rosell said Rama’s six-month suspension which was a result of a separate case ended last Nov. 11. Hence, Rama should be allowed to return to office, he said.
The two lawyers held the press conference inside the City Hall.
A shouting match also broke out when Rosell tried to enter an office but was padlocked and a City Hall worker refused to open it despite the insistence of the former city administrator.
While inside the City Hall, Rosell assumed the role of city administrator and occupied Rama’s old office. Rosell tried to function in his old role even if Garcia had signed a notice stating that his coterminous appointment as a city administrator had already expired and was not renewed.
The drama took a different turn when shortly after 5 p.m., Cañete and his men arrived to arrest Rosell.
According to Ramil Ayuman, chief of the city public information office, the arrest was for usurpation of authority after Rosell issued a memorandum to the Civil Security Unit stating that he was back as city administrator.
For at least 10 minutes, Cañete tried to convince Rosell to go with them, said Ayuman.
“I did not do anything wrong here. I’m just sitting here while you, look at you, you are fully armed,” Rosell told Cañete and two other policemen.
Upon the instruction of Cañete, one policeman tried to handcuff Rosell.
Rosell resisted before Cañete grabbed the cuffs and tried to put it on the former city administrator who tried to wiggle free from the three police officers.
After a brief scuffle, police succeeded in handcuffing Rosell and brought him to the Waterfront police station.
Despite the tension, Ayuman it was business as usual at the City Hall.
Garcia assured the public of uninterrupted city services. “I really do not want our operations at the City Hall to be disrupted,” Garcia said.