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MANDAUE CITY — The camp of former mayor Jonas Cortes has formally contested the results of the mayoral election here on May 12, 2025, alleging widespread electoral fraud that favored proclaimed mayor-elect Thadeo Ouano.
APPEAL FOR UNITY Mandaue City Mayor-elect Jonkie Ouano, proclaimed winner in the Mandaue City mayoral race, appeals for unity among the people even as his closest rival, Jonas Cortes, whom he beat by 7,146 votes, lodged a formal protest contesting the result of the elections. PHOTO BY KAISER JAN FUENTES
In a complaint submitted to the City Board of Canvassers on May 12, Cortes' team flagged multiple irregularities, including alleged electronic manipulation, vote padding and statistical inconsistencies.
The document questioned how several precincts showed more valid votes than the number of actual voters or even registered voters.
The complaint, signed by Lawyer Benjamin Cabrido Jr., cited at least 14 clustered precincts with alleged discrepancies. Among them are the following:
– Barangay Subangdaku (Cluster Precinct ID: 22300216): 885 registered voters, 766 voted, but 960 valid votes were recorded, with a turnout rate of 89.59 percent;
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– Barangay Tabok (Cluster 2): 962 registered voters, 871 actual voters, yet 1,159 valid votes were counted, with a turnout rate of 90.54 percent;
– Barangay Pagsabungan (Cluster ID: 223): 789 registered voters, 688 actual voters, but 754 valid votes recorded;
– Barangay Tabok (Cluster 1): 827 registered voters, 739 voted, but 924 valid votes were registered;
– Barangay Tingub: One cluster logged 880 valid votes from only 830 voters out of 915 registered. Another precinct in the same barangay recorded 823 valid votes from 796 who voted;
– Barangay Tipolo: 797 valid votes were registered despite only 749 voters out of 871 registered;
– Barangay Umapad: 709 valid votes were listed from 783 voters.
Other precincts in Pagsabungan and Subangdaku also showed turnout and vote counts that surpassed the actual number of voters, based on the documents attached to the protest.
Cabrido requested that the challenge and any decision made on it be reflected in the official minutes of the board and asked for a certification of filing.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed Ouano as the duly elected mayor of Mandaue City at 1:30 a.m. on May 13.
Ouano garnered 101,549 votes, defeating Cortes, who obtained 94,448 votes.
Independent candidates Jo Cortes and Gepind Requirme received 2,667 and 999 votes, respectively.
Responding to the protest, Ouano said he welcomes the process and emphasized unity moving forward.
Ouano said they will respond to the complaint, but emphasized that the election was already over, describing it as just a one-day event.
He urged Mandauehanons to unite for the city's progress.
He added that for those who still refuse to accept the results, he said disagreements can wait until the 2028 elections draw near.
For now, Ouano appealed for cooperation and mutual support.
"That is normal and that is their right, and we respect it," he said in an interview with The Manila Times on May 13.
The mayor-elect is the brother of incumbent Lone District Mandaue City Rep. Emmarie "Lolypop" Ouano-Dizon, who won in her reelection bid against former city treasurer Regal Oliva.
