DISMISSED Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes is standing firm in his resolve to defend his constitutional right to run in the 2025 elections and uphold the will of the people.
Cortes stressed this in a statement Saturday, January 4, 2025, saying he has taken decisive action by filing a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court, seeking an injunction, a status quo order, and the nullification of the unjust cancellation proceedings initiated by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
The Comelec en banc issued on January 3, 2025 a Certificate of Finality, officially confirming the cancellation of Cortes’ certificate of candidacy.
“Under established legal principles, a decision rendered by the Comelec En Banc becomes final and executory upon the lapse of the five-day period prescribed by law, absent any injunction or restraining order issued by a higher court,” the certificate stated.
But Cortes said the timing of the Comelec orders “has made it extremely challenging to secure a Temporary Restraining Order within the prescribed timeline.”
“Notably, the notice of the En Banc decision was issued during the last hour of the last working day of the year, effectively leaving no opportunity to act, as government offices remained closed for the next five days. Such timing raises serious questions about fairness and due process, as it appears to have been calculated to prevent any immediate recourse to higher judicial remedies,” his camp said.
Cortes urged his supporters to remain vigilant and united in prayer, believing that truth and justice will ultimately prevail.
“Let us stand together to ensure that the people’s voices are heard and that every voter is given the chance to freely choose the leader they believe in during the elections,” Cortes said. (CAV)
