IS MAYOR’S CASE ON?

One of President Duterte’s deputy executive secretaries asks the Ombudsman-Visayas for updates on case against Mayor Osmeña New complaint from Apas barangay chief prompted question, since ex-mayor Rama had also filed a case over 2 donated cars

The Office of the President is asking the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to update them on the case filed against Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña over two high-end cars that were allegedly donated to the City Government.

That way it can facilitate the resolution of the new complaint that Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman filed against Osmeña over the same vehicles.

Ayuman filed against Osmeña an administrative complaint for grave misconduct and serious dishonesty before Malacañang for allowing his relative to purchase the two Dodge Chargers that were donated to the City, and for using these as his person- al service prior to the sale.

Former mayor Michael Rama had accused Osmeña of indirect bribery under Article 211 of the Revised Penal Code and of violating Presidential Decree 46 and Section 7(d) of Republic Act 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees over the same cars.

Although the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas upgraded Rama's complaint after the graft investigator found basis for a preliminary investigation, it was later dismissed for lack of probable cause and evidence.

Ayuman said he will submit additional documents to Malacañang. “The complaint of former mayor Rama was dismissed because it relied mostly on media reports. My complaint is based

The complaint of former mayor Rama was dismissed because it relied mostly on media reports. My complaint is based on legitimate documents that we obtained and I will submit it this week. APAS BARANGAY CAPTAIN RAMIL AYUMAN

on legitimate documents that we obtained and I will submit it this week,” Ayuman said.

Osmeña, for his part, said the case is just meant to harass him.

In his complaint, Ayuman said that Osmeña took advantage of his position as mayor and used the two cars even if these were supposed to be for the Cebu City police. The two vehicles, which were painted to look like police cars, were originally owned by Bigfoot Entertainment Inc. chairman Michael Gleissner, the first to lease a portion of the South Road Properties.

Osmeña, in his counter-affidavit, claimed that Bigfoot initially lent the two cars to the City to be used by the police, but Gleissner abandoned his plan to produce movies in the country, prompting him to sell the vehicles. In 2012, the two cars were sold to Osmeña's sister and nephew at P250,000 each.