Dismissed Mandaue Metropolis Jonas Cortes. / CDN File
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Dismissed Mandaue Metropolis Mayor Jonas Cortes plans to enchantment to the Fee on Elections (Comelec) en banc concerning the cancellation of his Certificates of Candidacy (COC) for the 2025 midterm elections, stating his intent to hunt “justice.”
In a press release posted on his Fb web page, Cortes revealed that he obtained the Comelec’s choice on Wednesday night time and expressed his dedication to exhaust all accessible cures.
The Comelec Second Division promulgated a call on Wednesday to cancel Cortes’s COC resulting from materials and false illustration.
The choice stemmed from a petition filed by lawyer Ervin Estandarte, who alleged that Cortes dedicated a critical misrepresentation by declaring on his COC that he was “eligible for the workplace I search to be elected to.”
Moreover, Cortes indicated “N/A” within the part requiring particulars of any authorized instances involving him, together with case docket numbers, titles, submitting dates, and statuses.
The petition additional cited a portion of the COC the place candidates affirm that “the details acknowledged within the certificates of candidacy are true to the very best” of their information.
Estandarte argued that Cortes knowingly did not disclose his dismissal from service by the Ombudsman, of which he was notified on October 3, at some point earlier than submitting his COC.
The ruling acknowledged: “Respondent’s declaration in his COC, which constitutes his {qualifications} for Mayor, is materials and false, contemplating the truth that he’s not certified to run for workplace. He misrepresented the reality about not being eligible to run for workplace… Respondent signed, subscribed, and swore to the veracity of his declarations therein, indicating that his false illustration is deliberate and can successfully mislead the voters concerning his {qualifications} as Mayor of Mandaue Metropolis, Cebu.”
The choice was signed by Presiding Commissioner Marlon S. Casquejo and Commissioners Rey E. Bulay and Nelson J. Celis.
Cortes contested the ruling, arguing that the Comelec Second Division erred in its choice. He maintained that the Ombudsman’s dismissal order was not last and remained below enchantment.
He additional claimed that the grounds for the Comelec’s ruling didn’t align with the problems raised within the petition and that the Comelec failed to think about his submitted response.
Cortes additionally accused his political opponents of orchestrating efforts to take away him from the listing of candidates to make sure an uncontested race for the mayoral place.
“I’m nonetheless a candidate and can proceed to be till the Supreme Court docket delivers the ultimate choice. Ato ning eleksyonon, dili ta magazine sige ug maniobra sa proseso,” stated Cortes.
“Gihagit nako ang akong kaatbang nga undangon na ang paggamit sa iyang koneksyon, paryente, ug posisyon aron mag-impluwensya ug mag-pressure sa Comelec para mudaog sila nga walay kontra,” he added.
He urged Mandauehanons to withstand what he characterised as abuses of their rights and an infringement on their capacity to decide on their leaders.
“Sobra na ni ang pang-abuso nila. Eleksyon, dili diskwalipikasyon,” stated Cortes.
Mandaue Metropolis Administrator Lawyer Jamaal James Calipayan introduced that Cortes’s authorized workforce would personally file a Movement for Reconsideration with the Comelec En Banc on Friday, Dec. 20.
Calipayan expressed considerations over the Comelec decision, which claimed that Cortes did not file an Reply Cum Memorandum.
He clarified that the response was submitted on time, citing that the deadline fell on a Saturday, and below courtroom guidelines, submissions due on weekends are prolonged to the following working day. He confirmed that Cortes’s response was filed in individual and acknowledged by way of e mail on the next Monday.
“Other than that, the problems resolved within the case have been already raised within the Certiorari petition earlier than the Supreme Court docket. The query is, why did the Comelec resolve these points as a substitute of ready for the Supreme Court docket’s choice?” stated Calipayan.
He emphasised that the disqualification case is separate from the Ombudsman’s dismissal case, which is at the moment below a Non permanent Restraining Order (TRO) granted by the Supreme Court docket.
“Atoa man gud gi-question sa Supreme Court docket whether or not or not executory ba ang disqualification. Kung disqualified ka, that is irreversible, dili pareha sa dismissal nga kung ireverse ang choice, you’ll be able to nonetheless obtain again wages and advantages,” he defined.
In the meantime, Mayor Glenn Bercede, Cortes’s working mate, expressed hope that democratic processes would prevail, permitting Mandaue Metropolis residents the prospect to decide on their leaders within the upcoming elections.
He additionally inspired supporters to stay optimistic throughout this difficult time.
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