Comelec Bars Former Cebu City Mayor from Holding Office
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division has officially disqualified former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama from running for any local elective position in the 2025 national and local elections. This decisive action follows a petition that cited a prior guilty verdict from the Office of the Ombudsman.
Grounds for Disqualification: Nepotism and Grave Misconduct
In a resolution dated November 11, 2025, the Comelec First Division upheld the ruling from the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman had found Rama guilty of the administrative offenses of nepotism and grave misconduct.
As a consequence of this verdict, the Ombudsman imposed the penalty of dismissal from office. This penalty included the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from reemployment in any government service, which directly impacts eligibility for public office.
Legal Basis and Election Outcome
The disqualification case was initiated by Jundel Bontuyan, a registered voter from Barangay Adlaon in Cebu City. The petition was anchored on Section 40(b) of the Local Government Code, which explicitly prohibits individuals who have been removed from office as a result of an administrative case from running for any elective local position.
Despite the legal cloud, Rama participated in the May 12, 2025 elections. However, by that time, the dismissal order was already in effect. The former mayor finished third in the mayoral race, which was won by now Mayor Nestor Archival, with former mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia also ahead of him.
The Comelec's resolution solidifies the legal barrier preventing Rama's return to an elected government role, marking a significant moment in Cebu City's political landscape.
