Dismissed Mayor Cortes reinstated as mayoral candidate

Dismissed Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes. | CDN Digital photo / Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu –  Dismissed Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes is set to rejoin the mayoralty race in Mandaue City after the Supreme Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) preventing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from canceling his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) and removing his name from the list of candidates for the May National and Local Elections.

“This means that once Comelec begins the reprinting of the ballots, the name of Mayor Cortes will be back, as it should not have been removed,” said Atty. Joshua Monsanto, a member of Cortes’ legal team. “Cortes is officially back in the mayoralty race of Mandaue City.”

The Supreme Court’s resolution stated that the TRO would remain in effect until a final decision is reached. If Comelec commences printing the ballots before the Court resolves the case, Cortes’ name must be included on the ballots for the Mandaue City mayoralty elections.

Cortes expressed his gratitude for the TRO during a press conference on Tuesday, January 21.

“Gidungog gyud ang pag-ampo sa mga taga Mandaue. Nalipay ko og dako nga nakab-ot nato, initial victory, kini’ng hustisya nga atoang gipangita nga wala gyud nato makit-i sa dugay nga panahon. Karun, makaingun ta nga truly the Supreme Court is impartial,” Cortes said.

The Supreme Court also directed Comelec and Atty. Ervin Estandarte, who had filed the petition against Cortes, to submit their comments within 15 days of receiving the notice.

Background of the Case

Atty. Estandarte accused Cortes of material misrepresentation, alleging that Cortes failed to disclose his dismissal by the Ombudsman in his COC. Acting on Estandarte’s petition, Comelec disqualified Cortes, canceling his COC and ordering the removal of his name from the official list of candidates. On January 3, 2025, Comelec issued a Certificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment after denying Cortes’ motion for reconsideration.

Despite these developments, Cortes’ legal team maintained that the TRO remains effective immediately, irrespective of the 15-day comment period granted by the Supreme Court.

“The effectivity of the TRO is not dependent on the 15 days. As of now, Mayor Cortes is back in the race,” explained Atty. Joselito Thomas Baena. “This case also raises constitutional issues, which will require careful examination by the Supreme Court.”

Support from Allies

The TRO has bolstered morale among Cortes’ supporters and political allies.

“Grabe ang akong kalipay, kay ang amoang amahan, ang mayor, og wala nalutsan og TRO, asa nalang ang iyang mga piso og konsehal. Nalipay mi nga naa pa gyud siya sa laban,” said Mayor Glenn Bercede.

Congressional candidate and former city treasurer Atty. Regal Oliva echoed similar sentiments, thanking the people of Mandaue City for their resilience and prayers.

“We remain committed to supporting Mayor Jonas Cortes as he faces ongoing challenges and baseless accusations this election season. We pray for his strength, wisdom, and unwavering focus to continue serving Mandaue City,” Oliva said.

Next Steps

As the legal battle continues, Cortes’ camp remains hopeful while awaiting the Supreme Court’s final decision. Baena noted that future actions would depend on the strength of the comments submitted by Comelec and Estandarte.

The TRO’s issuance serves as a critical milestone in reaffirming Cortes’ candidacy and has brought renewed optimism to his team and supporters as the election draws closer.

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