Mario Ortiz

Mario Diez Ortiz (April 9, 1922 – July 31, 2015) was a Filipino politician and lawyer who served as the mayor of Cebu City from September to December 1963. Prior to becoming mayor, he was elected to serve as a member of the Cebu City Council in 1959 but abruptly assumed as vice mayor to Carlos Cuizon in 1960.

Early life and education Ortiz was born in Sibonga, Cebu to Santos Ortiz Sr. and Bernarda Diez. He attended classes at then Colegio de San Carlos and later took up his bachelor of laws at the University of Santo Tomas. At age 19, he became part of the Bohol Area Command under the command of Captain Casiano Cabagnot. On August 5, 1944, he was captured by the Japanese military police at then Cebu Normal School. He was then transferred to the Cebu Provincial Jail which now houses the Museo Sugbo. He, together with his cellmate Abdon del Mar and with the help of Jose "Dodong" Maramara, was able to escape from the jail while the guards were drunk. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar on March 31, 1948.

Political career He started his political career as a councilor after winning in the 1959 elections and garnered the highest number of votes. On January 1, 1960, Ortiz was elevated as vice mayor after newly elected vice mayor Carlo Cuizon assumed as mayor. As the latter ran for vice mayor in the 1963 elections, Ortiz took over as mayor from September 18, 1963, to December 31, 1963.

On July 30, 1985, he was appointed as a commissioner of the Commission on Elections under the Marcos administration and was supposed to end his term on May 17, 1992. With the assumption of Corazon Aquino as president in 1986, Ortiz submitted his courtesy resignation thereby cutting short his tenure in office. They had five children namely Reynaldo, Danilo, Jerome, Edwin and Julie Marie.