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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Luzon devider CA denies Cortes' plea for TRO vs Ombudsman dismissal

CA denies Cortes' plea for TRO vs Ombudsman dismissal

Published Jan 10, 2025 10:45 am

CEBU CITY – The legal debacles of dismissed Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes continue to pile up after he received another unfavorable ruling, this time from the Court of Appeals (CA).

JONAS CORTES.jpg

CORTES (FB)

The CA has denied Cortes’ plea for the issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order and Writ of Preliminary Injunction against the Office of the Ombudsman order dismissing him from service, with the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Justices of the CA 5th Division signed the resolution. 

“There is no clear showing that petitioner have sufficiently alleged a clear and unmistakable right, and that there is an extreme urgency and paramount necessity for a temporary restraining order and/or writ of preliminary injunction to be issued,” the resolution, signed by Justices Ramon Cruz, Tita Marilyn Payoyo-Villordon, and Emily San Gaspar-Gito, said.

Cortes asked the CA to enjoin the Office of the Ombudsman from executing its order dated Sept. 26, 2024.

The Ombudsman found him guilty of grave misconduct, dismissed him from service, and imposed on him the accessory penalty of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification for re-employment in the government service.

The grave misconduct charges stemmed from the continuous operation of Suprea Philippines Development Corp., a batching plant in Barangay Labogon, Mandaue, despite the lack of business permit, sanitary permit, and environment clearance. 

The complainants cited that the operation of the cement plant posed health risks to those who live near it, but Cortes refused to issue a cease-and-desist order.

“He has a duty to act, but he deliberately chose not to act,” said the Ombudsman in its decision last September finding him guilty of grave misconduct.

The Commission on Elections has ordered the cancellation of Cortes’ Certificate of Candidacy for material misrepresentation.

A lawyer filed a petition before the Comelec seeking the cancellation of Cortes’ candidacy after he failed to disclose in his COC that he had a dismissal order issued by the Ombudsman.

The Comelec has started printing ballots for the May elections. In the Comelec’s 2025 ballot face templates for Central Visayas, Cortes’ name was not in the list of mayoral  candidates in Mandaue.

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Mayor Jonas Cortes Mandaue City
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