Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes. CDN Digital photo | Mary Rose Sagarino
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said he is very willing to work with the Bando Bag-ong Mandaue, headed by former city councilor Atty. Nilo “Olin” Seno, whom he faced during the May 9 elections.
Cortes said he has no problems working with those not belonging to his party as shown when he worked successfully with former Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna and incumbent City Councilor Nerissa Soon-Ruiz who were not under his slate before.
Cortes was elected as Mandaue City Mayor from 2007 to 2016.
In 2012, Cortes appointed Fortuna as a consultant for legislative affairs while Ruiz who ran against him for Mayor during the 2010 elections was appointed as the city’s public health consultant. Ruiz is now under Cortes’ TEAM Mandaue.
He said his office is very open if Bando Bag-ong Mandaue would decide to collaborate with his administration.
CDN Digital had asked Seno about his reaction to Cortes’ statement but has yet to receive a reply.
Based on 100% of election returns, Cortes won with 102,786 votes against Seno’s 82,182 votes.
Of the TEAM Mandaue candidates, only incumbent Tingub barangay captain Mario Bihag did not win a seat in the city council.
Editha Flores Cabahug was the lone Bando Bag-ong Mandaue bet to have made the Magic 12. /rcg
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