Losing candidates in Cities of Cebu, Mandaue file election protest
Former Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes questioned an alleged suspicious glitch during the vote counting that affected purportedly the result.
At the COMELEC office in Manila, Cortes' legal team filed formally the election protest on Friday, May 23, 2025.
His camp underscored that there were questionable situations during the tallying of election results that need clarification.
"Duha na ato gi-allege, intrinsic fraud, meaning naa sa program o software mismo nga maoy naka-cause sa irregularity sa results ug ang extrinsic fraud, ang process sa voting itself no, daghan pod to og nagkalain-laing instances nga na-cite na," said Atty. Jamaal Calipayan, Mandaue City administrator.
Cortes' camp has stood by their claims based on affidavits from watchers and lawyers, they said, that would support the allegations.
'Ang ato gi-kwestyon lang pod, sama sa statement ni mayor of course we need an explanation from kung kinsa ang responsible parties ini, aron ma-avoid siya in the future,' Calipayan added.
In a statement on his official social media account, Cortes said that the protest has nothing to do with bitterness but about protecting people's votes.
'This is not about bitterness, this is not against our opponents who were declared winners. This is about protecting your vote, our vote. Daghang panghitabo niining piniliay, gikinahanglang hatagan og atensyon,' his statement reads.
Cebu 6th District Provincial Board Member Jonkie Ouano has been declared winner in the mayoral race in Mandaue City.
When GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak sought a comment from Ouano about Cortes' election protest, he said that the action is Cortes' prerogative.
Ouano further said he has delegated to his legal team the task of responding to accusations, as he is focused tightly on the local governance transition and priorities leading to his assumption of office.
Moreover, former Cebu City mayor Michael Rama also filed an election protest in Manila.
He used as basis the alleged glitches in the automated counting machines (ACMs) that he said could have possibly influenced the vote count.
According to Cebu City Mayor-elect Nestor Archival, it is Rama's right to raise a complaint, or a protest.
As for outgoing Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, he said it is best to accept defeat and focus on working with the new administration to be more of service to the community.
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