Cortes seeks manual recount amid claims of election

FORMER Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes is seeking a manual recount of votes and has filed an election protest before the Commission on Elections (Comelec), contesting the results of the May 12, 2025 mayoral race in the city, in which Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano was declared the winner. 

The protest, received by the Comelec’s Judicial Records Division on Friday, May 23, challenges Ouano’s proclamation as mayor citing alleged irregularities in the recently concluded national and local elections.

Outgoing City Administrator Jamaal James Calipayan, speaking on behalf of the Cortes camp, said the protest is supported by affidavits from poll watchers, legal representatives and voters who documented irregularities during the election.

“We believe there’s a pattern of manipulation, which we’ve outlined in the pleading. We are not asking to nullify the proclamation outright. Our objective is clarity through a manual recount to uncover the real will of the people of Mandaue,” he said on Friday.  

In the midterm elections, Ouano garnered 101,549 votes, defeating Cortes, who received 94,488 votes. Other contenders in the race included Joey Cortes with 2,667 votes, and Gepind Requierme with
999 votes. 

The protest falls within the 10-day window allowed by law to contest election results. 

Questioning voting system

Cortes, who ran under One Cebu Party, is questioning both the integrity of the automated voting system and the conduct of the elections.

His camp alleges serious irregularities, including what they described as intrinsic fraud embedded in the vote-counting software and extrinsic fraud involving procedural violations observed on Election Day.

One of the key issues raised in the protest involves clustered precincts where the number of valid votes reportedly exceeded both the number of registered voters and those who actually voted.

Calipayan said in an interview Friday that these discrepancies call into question the integrity of the electoral process.

He added that the protest is part of a challenge filed on May 13 with the Comelec City Board of Canvassers in Mandaue City, citing similar anomalies.

Central to that challenge is a detailed report on 14 clustered precincts where the number of valid votes allegedly exceeded both the number of registered voters and the number of ballots cast.

Cortes’ legal team contends that these discrepancies raise serious questions about the credibility of the results.

Among the precincts identified are the following:

Barangay Subangdaku (Cluster Precinct ID: 22300216): 885 registered voters, 766 actual voters, 960 valid votes recorded.

Barangay Pagsabungan (Cluster Precinct ID: 223): 789 registered voters, 688 actual voters, 754 valid votes recorded.

Barangay Tabok (Cluster 1): 827 registered voters, 739 actual voters, 924 valid votes recorded.

Barangay Tabok (Cluster 2): 962 registered voters, 871 actual voters, 1,159 valid votes recorded.

The complaint filed before the board of canvassers was dismissed, reportedly due to a “mislabeling issue,” which Calipayan criticized as grossly insufficient given the gravity of the allegations.

“Given how long they’ve been using the automated voting system, for them to make such a rookie mistake — it’s just not credible,” he said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

He added that the team may elevate the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Ouano’s response

Mayor-elect Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano said he respects Cortes’ right to file a protest but questioned the timing and its broader implications.

“That is his prerogative. Pero, sukwahi ni sa iyang giingon nga unity ug magtinabangay para sa (But his action contradicts what he said about unity and cooperation for) Mandaue. I will leave it to our legal team to respond kay ang akong (since my) focus karon (right now) is to prepare for the orderly transition and make sure that my priorities like a new modern Mandaue City College building and a modern hospital, among others, are going to be implemented,” he said.

If the manual recount pushes through and confirms Ouano’s victory, Cortes is prepared to accept it, Calipayan said.

“The fact that we’ve submitted to this process is proof that we’re not seeking to disrupt the system. We simply want the truth to come out,” Calipayan said.

In a statement, Cortes reiterated that the protest is not motivated by personal or political reasons, but by a duty to uphold the integrity of the vote.

Cortes emphasized that naming Ouano in the protest is a procedural requirement, not a personal attack.

“This protest is not about personal grudges. It is not even about going against Jonkie Ouano as a person. I respect the results as proclaimed by the Comelec for now, but as a citizen, as a public servant, and as someone who believes in fair and transparent elections, I have the right — and the duty — to question irregularities,” Cortes said.

He added that the electoral protest is about setting a standard for future elections, not undoing the past.

“This is not about now. This is about the future. Para sa atong mga anak ug apo (This is for our children and grandchildren),” he said.  / CAV