1 month ago
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CEBU CITY — The Supreme Court will be the next battleground for former Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes, as the Office of the Ombudsman has upheld his dismissal over allegations that he allowed a cement batching plant to operate without the necessary permits from 2020 to 2022.
Cortes, who is seeking reelection in the May 12, 2025, midterm elections, announced that he intends to bring the case before the country's highest court.
He argued that the ruling constituted an overreach of authority and amounted to "grave abuse of discretion."
Marforth Fua, a member of Cortes' legal team, confirmed their plan to file a petition for certiorari under Rule 65, citing grave abuse of discretion as their legal remedy.
Cortes maintained his innocence, describing the case as politically motivated.
He emphasized his trust in the judiciary, stating that the Supreme Court remains beyond political influence and is the proper avenue for seeking justice.
He acknowledged the possibility of an arrest warrant being issued against him but insisted that he was ready to face any legal consequences.
He declared that he no longer harbored fear and was prepared to confront the charges.
Based on its resolution issued on Sept. 26, 2024, the Ombudsman said it found probable cause to charge Cortes with violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
This resulted in a criminal case being filed against him.
The case originated from a complaint filed on Oct. 17, 2022, by Barangay Labogon residents Ines Corbo Necesario and Julita Oporto Narte.
They accused Cortes of failing to issue a cease-and-desist order (CDO) against Suprea Philippines Development Corp., despite complaints that its operations were causing air and noise pollution in the area.
The Ombudsman's decision not only removed Cortes from office but also barred him from holding public office and forfeited his retirement benefits.
Cortes defended his actions, stating that he had relied on findings from the Mandaue City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) and the Office of the Punong Barangay of Labogon.
Both offices did not recommend issuing a CDO against Suprea.
Instead of ordering an immediate shutdown, Cortes issued a mission order to inspect the plant's compliance with environmental and business regulations.
He maintained that no substantial evidence proved he had acted in bad faith or with gross negligence.
With his motion for reconsideration denied, Cortes' legal team is set to bring the case to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Ombudsman overstepped its authority.
Cortes noted that after the high court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), the legal proceedings shifted back to the Ombudsman, but his team remains steadfast in challenging the ruling.
Recently, the Supreme Court granted Cortes a TRO, preventing the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from enforcing its resolution to cancel his certificate of candidacy and barring the poll body from removing his name from the official list of candidates.
Calling for a fair review of his case, Cortes stressed that justice is vital in preserving democracy. His legal team is expected to file a petition for certiorari in the coming weeks.
