The Supreme Court (SC) stopped the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from cancelling the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Jonas C. Cortes as candidate for mayor of Mandaue City in Cebu in the May 12 elections.

In a temporary restraining order (TRO), the SC also stopped the Comelec from deleting Cortes' name from the list of candidates in the city.

It directed the Comelec and respondent Ervin E. Estandarte to comment on Cortes’ petition within a non-extendible period of 15 days from receipt of the restraining order.

A copy of the resolution on the TRO was not available.  Its summary was issued by the SC’s Office of the Spokesperson headed by lawyer Camille Sue Mae L. Ting late Monday afternoon, Jan. 20

TROs issued by the SC are immediately executory. 

Earlier, the SC had issued TROs in favor of eight candidates for their inclusion in the May 12 elections. 

The recipients of the other TROs were:

-- Mary Grace R. David, a candidate for vice mayor of Limay, Bataan. Her petition for substitution and inclusion in the official list of candidates were dismissed by the Comelec.

-- Mary Dominique A. Onate, a candidate for mayor of Palompon, Leyte, and who was declared a nuisance candidate by the Comelec.

-- Aldrin B. Sta. Ana, a candidate for mayor of Bocaue, Bulacan, and whose name was deleted by the Comelec as candidate.

-- Subair Guinthum Mustapha, a senatorial candidate, who had been declared a nuisance candidate by the Comelec.

-- Charles Savellano, a congressional candidate for the First District of Ilocos Sur and who had been declared a nuisance candidate.

-- Chito Bulatao Balintay, a candidate for governor of Zambales and whose certificate of candidacy was rejected by the Comelec.

-- Edgar R. Erice, a candidate for a congressional seat in Caloocan City’s Second District and who had been disqualified by the Comelec.

-- Florendo de Ramos Ritualo Jr., a candidate for the Sangguniang Panglungsod member in San Juan City’s First District and whose certificate of candidacy (COC) was cancelled by the Comelec.