Jonas, Nerry trade barbs

CEBU, Philippines - Although many thought a three-cornered fight was looming, Mandaue City residents would only be choosing between reelectionist Mayor Jonas Cortes and outgoing 6th district Rep. Nerissa Soon Ruiz for mayor in next year’s elections.

Since last year until the last day of the filing of Certificates of Candidacy last December 1, the gossip that former mayor Thadeo Ouano was joining the mayoralty race wouldn’t die because he was mum on his political plans following the defeat of his son Jonkie Ouano in 2007 to Mayor Cortes and the cases filed against him in connection with the lamppost issue.

The rumor stopped making the rounds when Ouano decided on the eleventh hour to run instead for a provincial board seat representing the sixth district.

Cortes originally filed his COC as an independent following his entry into the Lakas Party was blocked by Ouano in 2007.

This year, Cortes’ entry into Lakas under the principle of “the equity of the incumbent” was blocked by Ruiz who is a Lakas-Kampi and a member of the One Cebu Party.

With the prodding from cousin-in-law Edmund Sanchez, Cortes joined the Liberal Party. Sanchez is the chairman of the LP in the sixth district.

Now Cortes will be running for the second time for mayor and will be facing the seasoned politician Ruiz.

Ruiz first joined politics in 1988 after winning a slot in the provincial board, emerging No. 2.

After a term at the PB, she joined the race for Congress and was elected five terms as a member of the House of Representatives, representing the 6th district of the Province of Cebu from 1992 to 1998, and from 2001 up to the present.

In 1998, she ran as Mandaue City mayor but lost to Thadeo Ouano. She eventually returned to Congress.

Cortes also comes from a family of mayors.

Mayor Jonas Cortes’ father was the late mayor Demetrio Cortes and Jonas’ grandfather was the late municipal mayor Ariston Cortes.

Before Jonas joined the slate of former mayor Thadeo “Teddy” Ouano as councilor, his brothers Demetrio, “Jun” Cortes Jr. and Ariston Cortes III ran separately for mayor and lost.

Jun was the first to follow his parents and grandparents political footsteps when he was elected as a councilor in 1992 and eventually became vice mayor in 1995.

In 1998, Jun, the third sibling of a family of 12, ran for mayor but lost to Teddy. It was a three-cornered fight: Jun, Nerissa Ruiz, and Ouano.

That election was also Ruiz’s first defeat in politics. It was also the start of Ouano’s three consecutive terms as mayor of the city.

Teddy’s first challenger in the 2001 election was Ariston “Baludong” Cortes III, Jonas elder brother and the 8th sibling.

In that election, Ruiz ran for Congress and won. This was the start of her three consecutive terms.

Having Jonas in Teddy’s ticket, the rest of the Cortes family openly supported Ouano in his reelection bid against Baludong. Jonas was elected as the first councilor and that marked his entry into city hall.

The following election held in 2004, Baludong, this time with the support of the United Opposition, again challenged Teddy and lost anew. — /CGG (THE FREEMAN)