A man removes a poster put up an overpass in Cebu City bearing a threat on the life of former Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama. Immae Lachica, ABS-CBN News

MANDAUE CITY - It was a threat put up for everyone to see.

A tarpaulin was seen at an overpass here Friday warning former Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama that he was next on an apparent hit list targeting drug-linked personalities.

The tarp bore a photo of Rama with that of late Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and slain Ronda town Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab, lawyer of Espinosa's son Kerwin, a confessed drug lord.

The picture of was supposedly taken in Albuera, Leyte years ago during Espinosa's oath taking as a member of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), where Rama served as regional chairman.

Espinosa's and Ungab's faces were spray painted with X marks, while Rama's face was encircled, with the words "Ikaw sunod" (you're next) written beside his image.

"It's a serious threat," Rama told ABS-CBN News.

On Monday, Ungab was shot dead in Cebu City while Espinosa was killed by police in his own jail cell in Leyte in November 2016.

Authorities have yet to identify the culprit, but Rama said he has an idea who vandalized and hung the warning at an overpass near the Basak Elementary School.

The former mayor declined to give further details about the suspect as he has yet to find evidence to prove his hunch.

Ungab's wife earlier said that her husband received threats via text messages hours before he was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Cebu City.

-- with reports from Vilma Andales and Junrey Nadela, ABS-CBN News