BACOLOD CITY: The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) named Quezon City Mayor Ma. Josefina 'Joy' Belmonte-Alimurung as the acting national president after Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the national president, was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for six months in May. In a statement released on Monday by Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, the national chairperson, the LCP confirmed the designation of Belmonte-Alimurung, the executive vice president, as the acting national president. 'To ensure the smooth operations and functioning of the league, the National Executive Board (NEB) resolved and recognized Mayor Belmonte-Alimurung as the acting national president of the LCP,' it said. The NEB members adopted a unanimous resolution for the Quezon City mayor's new designation during a special meeting held at the Westin Manila in Mandaluyong City on July 19. The resolution stated that although Rama's preventive suspension is temporary, it 'hinders him from exercising his powers and autho rity as the mayor, including his representation in the LCP.' 'As such, he is temporarily unable to perform his functions, powers, and responsibilities as the national president,' it added. Benitez attested the resolution signed by the deputy secretary general for the Visayas, Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo, in lieu of the deputy secretary, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong. On May 8, the Office of the Ombudsman suspended Rama and seven other Cebu City officials over the non-payment of salaries of several city hall employees. In a 10-page resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires said they found sufficient grounds to issue the preventive suspension against the mayor because of grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public officer, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest, among others. Source: Philippines News Agency