Manila, May 1 -- Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia must be treated "fairly" while the legal issues concerning the suspension order against her are not yet resolved, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Thursday.

The Office of the Ombudsman ordered Garcia's preventive suspension for six months without pay over alleged grave abuse of authority, in connection with the issuance of a special permit to Shalom Construction Inc. in May 2024 without mandatory clearances from relevant government agencies.

"I have been made aware of the preventive suspension issued against Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of Cebu," Marcos said in a statement posted on his official Facebook account.

"Governor Garcia has served Cebu with strength and consistency. Until all...