Ex-Cebu City mayor challenges Ombudsman ruling over cockfighting events

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Former Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has filed a motion for reconsideration challenging an Ombudsman ruling that found him administratively liable for failing to object to unauthorized cockfighting events at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino Convention Center in 2024.

In a statement posted on social media, Garcia said he disagreed with the findings and conclusions of the Office of the Ombudsman, arguing that his Letter of No Objection (LONO) was not a final special permit authorizing the events.

“I have always recognized the importance of accountability in public service and the role of the Office of the Ombudsman in upholding integrity in government,” Garcia said.

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READ: Ex-Cebu mayor Raymond Garcia appeals Ombud ruling over cockfight derbies

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“At the same time, I trust that the process of reconsideration will provide an opportunity to further clarify the circumstances of this case and address the legal issues that, in my view, merit a second look,” he added.

The Ombudsman’s decision dated Jan. 6, 2026, found Garcia guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and imposed a six-month suspension without pay.

Since Garcia is no longer in government service, the suspension was converted into a fine equivalent to six months of his basic salary, payable to the Ombudsman. The amount may be deducted from his retirement benefits, accumulated leave credits or other receivables from his former office.

The ruling remains subject to reconsideration.

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Garcia maintained that the LONO he issued on April 23, 2024, was merely a response to a formal request and not the final authorization required to hold the cockfighting event.

The letter was issued in response to a request dated April 15, 2024, seeking permission to hold a two-day Seven Cock Derby at the Fili NUSTAR and Casino Convention Center on May 23 and 24, 2024.

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According to Garcia, the LONO expressly made the proposal subject to existing laws, rules, regulations and applicable conditions. He said it was neither an unconditional authorization nor a substitute for the required permitting process.

He added that he sought the advice of the Cebu City Legal Office before issuing the letter. Its legal opinion, dated March 20, 2024, discussed the applicable legal framework and requirements.

Garcia said the applications did not complete the required process, did not reach his office for final approval and did not result in the issuance of a final special permit by him.

“These distinctions are important. A letter expressing no objection, subject to compliance with the law, should not automatically be equated with the final approval required by law,” he said.

He also raised questions about the obligation of public officials to respond to formal requests within the periods prescribed by law, including the Anti-Red Tape Act where applicable.

Garcia said his motion for reconsideration asked the Ombudsman to consider the legal advice he obtained, the conditions stated in the LONO and the absence of a final special permit issued by him.

The Ombudsman, however, concluded that Garcia’s actions constituted inexcusable neglect of duty.

“By allowing the activities to proceed without objection despite their patent illegality, respondent Garcia exhibited inexcusable neglect of duty,” the decision read.

The administrative complaint was filed by Kristian Hassamal on Nov. 18, 2024. It covered cockfighting events held at the NUSTAR Convention Center on May 23 and 24, and Aug. 27 to 29, 2024.

The Ombudsman found that the events violated Presidential Decree No. 449, or the Cockfighting Law of 1974, which restricts special cockfighting events to authorized venues and limits their duration and frequency.

NUSTAR, the Ombudsman said, was neither a licensed cockpit nor a playground or park under the law.

The decision also cited missing approvals from the Cebu City Sports Commission, Cebu City Police Office and Office of the City Mayor. These omissions were reflected in checklists attached to conditional permits issued by the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office.

READ: Illegal cockfighting raid in Carcar City nets 15 sabungeros

The BPLO issued a conditional permit on May 10, 2024, signed by Terencio Saavedra under the authority of then mayor Michael Rama. The permit for the August event was issued during Garcia’s tenure as acting mayor.

The decision did not discuss whether Rama or Saavedra could be held administratively liable.

The Ombudsman referred the complaint against former Cebu City police chief Antonietto Ybañez Cañete to its Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices, noting that he was a uniformed police officer and that there was no proof or allegation that he conspired with Garcia.

It also ordered a fact-finding investigation into Games and Amusements Board officials Jesucito Garcia and Francisco Rivera over permits issued for October events at NUSTAR. The Ombudsman raised questions about the board’s authority to approve cockfighting events in light of the regulatory powers of local governments under the Local Government Code.

READ: Cebu City: 11 nabbed for illegal cockfighting in Mambaling

Garcia, who served as Cebu City’s 28th mayor from 2024 to 2025, was previously the city’s vice mayor from 2022 to 2024, and a councilor representing the North District from 2016 to 2022.

He said the ruling did not carry the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office, expressing hope that he could still serve the public in the future.

“As I am no longer in public office, the suspension cannot be implemented in the ordinary manner. I understand that the decision provides for a corresponding fine in lieu of suspension, and I will address this matter through the appropriate legal remedies, including my pending Motion for Reconsideration,” Garcia said.

He appealed to the public to look beyond the headlines and consider the legal implications of the LONO, particularly whether it constituted final authorization for the events.

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“My position is clear: responding to a formal request through a conditional Letter of No Objection is not necessarily the same as granting a final special permit. That distinction is central to my appeal, and I trust that it will be carefully examined,” he said.