1 month ago
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CEBU CITY — Barangay, Sangguniang Kabataan and civic group leaders in Mandaue City have urged the Office of the Ombudsman to uphold their independence amid allegations of political interference thrown against the central corruption prevention arm of the government.
In a joint statement issued on Feb. 7, the signatories questioned the Ombudsman's handling of Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes' dismissal, which stemmed from allegations that he allowed a cement batching plant to operate without proper permits from 2020 to 2022.
The group criticized the three-day deadline imposed on Cortes for submitting a crucial legal memorandum, calling it "unreasonably short" and arguing that due process "should not be constrained by political considerations."
The group also slammed the alleged inconsistencies in the Ombudsman's decision-making, noting that similar cases involving government of-ficials and political leaders have remained unresolved for years.
Additionally, they raised concerns over the reassignment of the mayor's case from the Visayas regional office — where it was initially investigat-ed — to the Ombudsman's central office in Manila, calling the move highly irregular and demanding transparency in the process.
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"The people of Mandaue deserve the truth, and we demand that the Ombudsman prove it is acting in the interest of justice rather than politi-cal influence," the statement read.
The signatories alleged that the case against Cortes was politically motivated, noting that his opponent in the May 2025 elections, Jonkie Oua-no, is connected to House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
They claimed that Cortes' legal troubles escalated suspiciously just as the election season approached.
"This highly suspicious timing raises serious concerns about whether these cases are truly about accountability or if they are merely a calculat-ed political weapon designed to remove a strong public servant from office," they said.
The statement also noted that the current sitting mayor, Glen Bercede, who is a known ally of Cortes, is also facing similar legal actions, which they said reflected a pattern of persecution against political opponents.
The group demanded that the Ombudsman clarify why the charges against Cortes and Bercede were transferred out of the Visayas office's ju-risdiction.
They also called on the anti-graft body to ensure that all public officials, regardless of political affiliation, are held to the same legal standards.
