Comelec Dismisses Election Protest by Former Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) First Division has officially dismissed the election protest filed by former Mandaue City mayor Jonas C. Cortes against incumbent Mayor Thadeo Jovito "Jonkie" M. Ouano concerning the results of the 2025 local elections in Mandaue City. In an order issued on January 29, 2026, the COMELEC ruled that the protest failed to comply with mandatory requirements under election rules, effectively reinforcing Mayor Ouano's victory.
Grounds for Dismissal: Lack of Evidence and Detail
The COMELEC cited insufficient detail and lack of strong evidence to support Cortes' allegations of fraud and irregularities during the elections. Cortes had filed his protest on May 23, 2025, requesting a manual recount and technical examination of election documents across all 271 clustered precincts in Mandaue. He claimed there were severe anomalies in voting, counting, and transmission of results, including:
- Discrepancies between the number of voters and ballots cast.
- Instances where ballot counts exceeded registered voter numbers.
- Alleged malfunctions of automated counting machines (ACMs).
- Voter receipts that failed to print or contained errors.
However, the COMELEC determined that these issues were merely "technical incidents" common on election day and did not automatically constitute fraud. The failure to print voter receipts or VVPATs was deemed insufficient to prove cheating.
Ouano's Response and COMELEC Hearing
Mayor Ouano filed his official response on June 5, 2025, calling for the case to be dismissed. He argued that the protest lacked proper form and evidence and did not provide a valid reason to overturn his victory margin. Following a hearing on September 23, 2025, the COMELEC declared that Cortes failed to provide a specific and detailed account of actions demonstrating genuine fraud as required by its rules.
Due to this failure to meet necessary form and content requirements, the protest was summarily dismissed. This decision solidifies Mayor Ouano's position as the duly elected mayor of Mandaue City from the 2025 elections, bringing closure to the legal challenge.
