Mandaue City Mayor Bercede asserts innocence in admin case

By: Mary Rose Sagarino - CDN Digital Correspondent | January 28,2025 - 09:50 PM

Mandaue City Mayor Glenn Bercede. | CDN File Photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Mandaue City Mayor Glenn Bercede has defended himself against the administrative case filed against him, maintaining that he committed no acts of grave misconduct.

On Tuesday, January 28, Bercede revealed that his legal team had submitted a position paper to the Office of the Ombudsman – Central Office via registered mail last week. The Ombudsman had ordered both Bercede and dismissed Mayor Jonas Cortes to submit position papers addressing the administrative aspect of a grave misconduct complaint lodged against them.

The complaint was filed by Mandaue residents Karina Labos of Barangay Pagsabungan and Lea May Miñoza of Barangay Lower Tabok.

They accused Bercede and Cortes of usurpation and grave misconduct for allegedly allowing Cortes to continue serving as mayor despite being under a one-year suspension.

Cortes was suspended by the Ombudsman in August 2024 for allegedly appointing an unqualified officer-in-charge to the City Social Welfare and Services.

In his defense, Bercede argued that the accusations were baseless.

“Walay grave [misconduct] oi, unsa may nakagrave ato, nga igo lang pag-invite, pagtawag og mayor. Gitawag man gani nag konsehal ang nilansar pa, unsa na ng mayor na daan… Gi-invite ko, gi-invite sad ang mayor, nagtapad mi, gipicturan mi, dili man to among affair oi,” he said.

Bercede clarified that private individuals, such as those organizing events like the Cebu Tourism Investment Forum mentioned in the complaint, had the freedom to invite Cortes.

He emphasized that he had no authority to prevent such invitations.

Bercede also explained the timeline of events following Cortes’ suspension. He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered him to assume the role of mayor three days after the Ombudsman’s suspension order.

He received the directive via text message on Saturday, August 24, 2024, while the suspension was issued on August 21. Furthermore, Bercede pointed out that the Ombudsman’s decision did not include an implementation order at the time.

The mayor also raised concerns about the delivery of the Ombudsman’s notice regarding the administrative case.

He found it unusual that the notice was sent through a private courier instead of the standard registered mail typically used by the graft office. The order was delivered on January 15 and received on January 18, with only 10 days given to respond. Bercede questioned the “rush” manner in which the notice was handled.