Jonas Cortes, Team Mandaue grateful for Duterte’s endorsement

But they clarified that they are not joining PDP-Laban

Photo from the Facebook page of Jonas Cortes.

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Dismissed Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has clarified that he is not rejoining the Partido Demokratiko Filipino – Lakas Ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), the political party of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

He said that he merely accepted the endorsement of Duterte for his mayoral bid in the May 2025 elections.

Cortes said that he, and the rest of the Team Mandaue members, will remain with One Cebu, the local party of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

READ: Former President Duterte backs Jonas Cortes

“Wala ta ni horal, kun dili endorsement to mismo ni former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte sa Team Mandaue, nya para nako, true leadership transcends sa political party lines,” said Cortes during an interview on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025.

(We did not take out oath, but it was an endorsement coming from former President Rodrigo Road Duterte for Team Mandaue, and for me, true leadership transcends political party lines.)

“I am grateful especially sa panghitabo. Sayud man mo unsa atoang naagian. Maong gikalipay gyud nako og dako ang pag-endorse ni presidente Rodrigo Roa Duterte. Dako kaayo ni og tabang, dako og boost,” he added.

READ: SC grants TRO vs cancellation of Jonas Cortes’ COC

(I am grateful especially for the recent turn of events. You all know what I’ve been through. That is why i am very happy for the endorsement that I received from president Rodrigo Roa Duterte.  This is a big help, a boost [to my candidacy].)

Duterte’s endorsement

Cortes bolted from PDP-Laban on May 29, 2024, shortly after Garcia also announced her resignation from Duterte’s political party.

But shortly before the official start of the local campaign period on March 28, Cortes announced on his social media page that he received the endorsement of the former president.

READ: 9 Cebu lawmakers vote to impeach Sara Duterte

Cortes said that Duterte’s endorsement “means a lot” to him, especially during a time when he is facing various legal challenges.

The former mayor, however, explained that Team Mandaue members cannot officially join PDP-Laban because they currently belong to different national parties, including Partido Liberal ng Pilipinas and Aksyon Demokratiko.

Still, Cortes said that they will be supporting some of the PDP-Laban senatorial candidates, who have made various contributions to Mandaue City, and those who offered him their friendship when he was still 6th district representative.

READ: Regal Oliva donates 13th-month pay to unpaid Umapad barangay workers

Shared vision

Meanwhile, Regal Oliva, Team Mandaue’s bet for the House of Representatives, said that she was grateful for Duterte’s endorsement, which is an affirmation of their shared vision on the need to “prioritize Mandaue and the nation, with a firm resolve to do what is right.”

She was also confident that Duterte’s popularity among the masses will boost her congressional bid.

“We are just happy that he joyfully endorsed us as his local candidates. [The endorsement is] very significant kay we all know how popular president Duterte still is in the hearts of the masses, of the Filipinos,” said Oliva.

“Not only among the masses. Makumpara man gud nato ang both administration, ang nahitabo karun ug sauna. Nakita ang huge difference especially on peace and order and graft and corruption. It’s just prevalent now. Grabe na gyud karun,” she added.

(Not only among the masses.  We can very well compare both administrations, what is happening now and in the past years. We will really see the huge difference especially on peace and order and graft and corruption.  It’s just prevalent now. It’s getting worst.)

But Oliva said that while she considers herself a “Duterte candidate,” she intends to keep her affiliation with Aksyon Demokratiko.