Comelec en banc declares Zoilo Cortes a nuisance candidate
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Comelec en banc has denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Zoilo Cortes, officially excluding him from Mandaue City’s mayoral race.
In a resolution dated December 13, the Comelec en banc upheld the earlier ruling of the Comelec Second Division, which labeled him a nuisance candidate.
“We agree with the findings of the Commission’s Second Division that evidence shows Respondent lacks a bona fide intention to run for the position for which he filed his COC. He has no political presence, and his behavior in promoting a vague or undefined advocacy belies any genuine aspiration to serve the public. His candidacy appears intended solely to confuse voters due to the similarity of his name with Petitioner,” the en banc resolution stated.
The petition to cancel Zoilo’s COC, citing him as a nuisance candidate, was filed by his fellow mayoral contender, Joey Cortes.
The Second Division previously noted that both Zoilo and Joey share the same last name, which could lead to significant legal and electoral issues, particularly concerning potential voter confusion—a key consideration in maintaining free, fair, and orderly elections.
According to the Comelec Tentative List of Candidates for Local Positions in Region 7, particularly for Mandaue City, Zoilo’s name on the ballot was listed as Cortes, Doc-Jojo, while Joey Cortes will appear as Cortes, Jo.
The Comelec en banc stressed that Zoilo’s motion for reconsideration failed to present valid arguments, asserting that the Second Division’s resolution was “neither without sufficient basis found in the records nor contrary to law.”
It further noted that the points raised in the motion were a “mere rehash of arguments and positions already raised and discussed,” which the Second Division had thoroughly examined before deciding to cancel Zoilo’s COC.
Zoilo is a cousin of dismissed Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, who is also running for mayor.
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