Losing Proposition

Bencyrus Ellorin

CAGAYAN de Oro 2nd district congressman Rufus Rodriguez has gained the support of cooperatives when he guested a dialogue with teachers and labor service cooperatives at the Club Filipino in San Juan City  last Aug. 6.

Aside from listening to the issues raised by teachers’ and labor service cooperatives, Rufus promised to support the campaign to increase the budget of the Cooperative Development Authority, in order for it to fulfil its developmental mandate and not just be limited to its regulatory functions.

Over at lunch that followed the consultation, I asked what his plans are for 2016.

He looked convincing when he said he is not running for senator. When I asked if he plans to run for mayor in the city he did not comment. Asked about a possible comeback of DongkoyEmano at City Hall, he just shook his head.

A close aide of Rep. Rufus, however told me that the congressman really does not want Dongkoy’s return.

But there are persistent calls for the congressman to run for the mayoral post. This would make the 2016 race a three cornered fight. And pundits would say that in a three-cornered fight, Dongkoy would win.

Sounds logical.

The quarters asking Congressman Rufus to throw his hat in the mayoral ring are mostly disgruntled with Mayor Oscar Moreno. Many were frustrated they did not get what they wanted from the mayor ranging from positions in City Hall to favors for their pet projects and businesses.

After falling out from City Hall, some of these personalities went to attend gatherings of Rep. Rufus’ party, the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP). In fact one of these personalities run for the leadership of the local CDP. He lost heavily to a barangay kagawad from Kauswagan.

I doubt if Rep. Rufus will bite the proposition for him to run for the mayor. A proposition championed by losers to start with and now being exploited now by the violet camp.

Congressman Rufus is a winner. One of the reasons he is no longer eyeing for a Senate seat is his poor showings in surveys. And then, when his name came to the national consciousness, it is for the thankless job of leading the House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law, a very divisive proposed law that Rep. Rufus gets the rap whichever side he is.

The good congressman who won his three terms as second district representative of the Cagayan de Oro by landslide has many options after his third and last term ends. He could be Abante Mindanao’s first nominee in the party-list race or could get himself appointed for a Cabinet position or even an ambassadorship or he could go back to the academe and let his eagle of a lawyer ones again shine.

Meanwhile, the camp of Mayor Moreno is improving its PR work, especially in making the public aware of the projects he is making, especially in basic education – with all those classroom buildings and all and courting Nazareth barangay chair Bebot Rodriguez to become Mayor Moreno’s running mate.

 (The author is a Kagay-anon who works in the central office of the Cooperative Development Authority. Comments can be sent to bency.ellorin@gmail.com)