CLEARED THEN SUSPENDED: Mandaue mayor slapped with one-year suspension

Local

BAD news and good news came together in one day.

Such was the case for Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes on Wednesday, August 21, after he was cleared of a criminal case only to get served with a one-year suspension in just a matter of hours.

Cortes first received an Ombudsman order, clearing him of a case for trespassing that was filed by a private individual.

The case was filed by Maria Priscilla Melendres, who sued Cortes and four other city councilors for supposedly illegally entering her property in Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue.

Melendres claimed ownership of a land and filed charges against Cortes and Councilors Maline Zafra, Oscar del Castillo, Jen Del Mar and Cynthia Remedio after the property was distributed to informal settlers.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas dismissed the case, saying that it was not established who has the legal right over the disputed property.

Just as Cortes heaved a sigh of relief following the dismissal of the case, a separate Ombudsman was served enforcing a one-year suspension on him for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service .

The suspension stemmed from a case that was filed against Cortes for the illegal appointment of Camilo Basaca as Officer- in-Charge of the City Social Welfare Services (CSWS) in 2022 .

The suspension order was received by City Administrator Jamaal James Calipayan around 11 a.m.

Calipayan confirmed that the mayor first received an Ombudsman order clearing him of a case before the suspension order came.

Cortes was out of office when the suspension order was he had a dental appointment, Calipayan said.

Calipayan said that the mayor “felt down” after receiving the suspension order.

Calipayan clarified that although the suspension is saddening on the part of Cortes, it didn’t involve corruption issues.

“In the decision there is no issue of corruption. Wala’y public funds were nga gihilabtan. Ang gibuhat sa mayor Pag designate ni Basaca daghan matabangan," said Calipayan.

Calipayan assured that the Cortes’ suspension will not affect the delivery of basic services in the city.

Cortes’ ally, Vice Mayor Glen Bercede, will take over as the city’s acting mayor.(MyTVCebu)