Ombuds to probe Cortes due to Fortuna's report

CEBU - The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas yesterday docketed for fact finding investigation the reported “shadow government” in Mandaue City wherein relatives of Mayor Jonas Cortes allegedly meddle in the affairs of the city.

Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol ordered assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca Santiago to open an investigation based on newspaper reports.

Santiago said they will find out what possible violations the mayor has committed in allowing his relatives to influence the affairs of the city government.

Among the aspects that the anti-graft body will look into is the possible violation of the law on nepotism.

Santiago however refused to give further details saying that they still have to study the reports to find out where to start in the investigation.

The presiding officer of the opposition-dominated city council Vice Mayor Carlo Pontico Fortuna made a power point presentation last Tuesday detailing the existence of the alleged “Kabanay Unlimited” in the city.

Fortuna said Cortes allowed his relatives to influence the affairs of the city government and are even “calling the shots.”

Among the relatives of Cortes that are allegedly wielding their influence over the city are Zoilo Cortes, Lily Manding Cortes, Editha Cortes, Victor Cortes, Demetrio Cortes, Jr., Hermie Cortes, Jimmy Vasquez, Edmund Sanchez, Eutiquio Sanchez, Briccio Boholst, Hidelito Pascual, Antonio Sanchez and Omar Redula.

Cortes, in an interview over radio station dyLA, said these people are helping him run the city without any monetary consideration.

The mayor is blaming the members of the city council why he was forced to hire them in the council of elders, because the body is allegedly blocking the appointments of legitimate consultants.

Cortes also questioned why Fortuna did not include in his report the names of his aunts that are also members of the council of elders.

Cortes added that Fortuna’s motive is questionable because he did not make the same noise in the previous administration where he said, there were even more members of the family of then Mayor Thadeo Ouano that held various positions in the city.

“Nganong wa man siya mo kwestiyon sa una nga administrasyon nga mas daghan man to sila,” Cortes said.

Fortuna, in a separate interview, admitted he has two aunts in the council of elders but they are not meddling in the affairs of the city.

He admitted that Guadalupe Latonio and Anita Trasmonte are his aunts.

On his failure to question the appointments of the members of the family of Ouano in the previous administration, Fortuna asked the same question to Cortes.

According to Fortuna, Cortes was also a member of the previous city council and he did not also question it.

Fortuna said he has reasons in not making an issue out of the appointments of the members of the family of Ouano before. He said they all have appointment papers and were considered accountable officials, who can be sued anytime if they commit irregularities.

Unlike in the present administration that the relatives of Cortes are allegedly “calling the shots” in the city, but are not officials having no formal appointments.

Fortuna said it is unfair for the people because they cannot be held accountable for abuses that they would commit.

Kabanay Unlimited was how one councilor described the involvement of relatives of Cortes in the affairs of the city government.

“If we have Kamag-anak Inc. before, we now have in Mandaue City, Kabanay Unlimited—family members of the Mayor who have been farmed out to the different departments without any appointments or designation and therefore without any accountability at all for any misfeasance or malfeasance,” said Councilor Victor Biaño yesterday.

Cortes said some relatives were helping him in City Hall without receiving pay.

“They are just there to observe and give recommendations to me. The final decision lies with me,” Cortes said.

Biaño said by heavily relying on these people, Mayor Cortes is showing his weakness. —NLQ (The Freeman)