Mandaue City mourns death of “Tatay Jun”
CEBU, Philippines — Mandaue City Councilor Demetrio “Tatay Jun” Cortes succumbed Thursday afternoon to a chronic kidney disease, which he had been fighting against for over a year.
The Mandaue City government mourned the death of the 67-year-old Cortes, who died at 4:35 p.m. at the Chong Hua Hospital-Mandaue.
Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna has expressed condolences and recalled that Cortes underwent dialysis last year.
"Ni-okay man to, pero in a couple of months lang, nag-wheelchair na siya'g sugod. Niabot na dayon kuno nga imbes monthly (ang dialysis), na daily na ang dialysis," Fortuna said.
The Philippine flag at the Mandaue City Hall is at half-mast, honoring and giving due respect to the late city official.
Prior to his death, Cortes had been attending and engaging in the City Council’s previous sessions this month.
Cortes is the third of 14 siblings. He is the older brother of former mayor and now sixth district Representative Jonas Cortes.
Councilor Carmelino Del Mar, Jr., a family relative of the Cortes clan, said that Tatay Jun was once a vice mayor of the city during the administration former mayor Alfredo "Pedong" Ouano.
"Nahimo siyang vice mayor for one term sa panahon ni Pedong. Last term niya ron as konsehal sa Mandaue. Siya pud ang first councilor (sa City Council)," he said.
The wake of the late city councilor will be at the Cortes ancestral house in Barangay Centro, near the Doctor Ignacio M. Cortes Hospital.
In his Facebook post, Mandaue City Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing, who is currently on leave, said the employees of the city government will miss him.
"Such terrible news. You will be missed greatly by the City you served so well," he said.
His burial is set for January 13 at the Mandaue Catholic Cemetery. (FREEMAN)
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