Strike two for Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, as the Office of the President has denied his suspension request on Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia due to lack of merit.

Strike one was Rama’s suspension for six months by the Ombudsman for failure to pay the salaries of four regular employees of the Cebu City Government.

In a copy obtained by Cebu media, the Office of the President found the allegations raised by Rama as insufficient to warrant the issuance of the suspension order.

“Before this Office is the Complaint filed by Mayor Michael L. Rama, of the City of Cebu, for violations of Section 1 (c), (e), and (h) of Administrative Order No. 23, s.1992 with prayer for the issuance of a preventive suspension order against Gov. Gwendolyn F. Garcia,of the Province of Cebu,” says the order.

“After a preliminary evaluation of the complaint, this Office finds the allegations of the same insufficient to warrant the issuance of the order prayed for,” the order added.

“WHEREFORE, In view of the foregoing, this Office hereby directs respondent, Gov. Gwendolyn F. Garcia, to file with this Office, within 15 days from receipt of this Order, her verified answer (not a motion to dismiss) to the complaint with proof of its service to the complaint,” the order cited.

“The prayer for the issuance of a preventive suspension order is hereby DENIED for lack of merit,” the order said.

On 20 March, Rama filed an administrative complaint against Garcia with the Office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after Garcia issued a cease-and-desist order on the construction of the bus station of Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) in front of Cebu Capitol, citing heritage value.

Rama claimed that the governor violated the principles of abuse of authority, oppression, and grave misconduct.

Rama insisted that the governor had no jurisdiction to interfere with the affairs of Cebu City being a Highly Urbanized City.

That Cebu City operates independently from the province.

Garcia issued a memorandum to cease civil works on the province-owned lots along Osmeña Boulevard to the CBRT Team and contractor, Hunan Road and Bridge Construction Group Ltd. on 27 February 2024.