The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has issued a Certificate of Finality on the cancellation of former Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes' Certificate of Candidacy (COC).

In a document issued on January 3, 2025, the COMELEC issued the certificate after Cortes’ camp’s motion for reconsideration was junked. 

The COMELEC en banc has given weight to an earlier decision of the COMELEC Second Division on the cancellation of his COC.

COMELEC pointed out that five days have passed since the resolution was released on December 27, 2024, and that in the absence of a restraining order from the court, the decision becomes final and executory.

However, Cortes’ camp said that they are confident the former mayor will be able to run in the May 2025 Midterm Elections.

Earlier, Cortes’ legal team filed a petition for certiorari at the Supreme Court, on an injunction, status quo ante order and nullification of COMELEC’s earlier decision.

His legal team also questioned the timing in the release of the decision in December 2024, during the last working day of the year, which has made it difficult to seek a temporary restraining order.

“Hopeful ta, as Team Mandaue member confident mi nga makadagan. Supreme Court is the highest court of the land, mao na naglaum ta,” Mandaue City Mayor Glenn Bercede said.

Bercede said that though the decision is final at the COMELEC, they look forward to the decision of the Supreme Court.

“Let us be calm, hulat lang ta di lang ta ana kuan sa social media og unsay mabutang. Daghang trolls diha, sa both sides ha, ang ato let us wait unsay mo-come up [nga] decision sa Supreme Court,” Bercede added.