By LITO RULONA Correspondent REP. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District yesterday said he wanted to reach out and talk with Mayor Oscar Moreno the way they used to when they chanced on each other during a lunch with Liberal Party (LP) presidential bet Manuel Roxas II at Limketkai center restaurant on Wednesday. “[But] he was as cold as ice. He lacked compassion in greeting an old friend,” Rodriguez told local radio. Rodriguez, who is challenging Moreno’s reelection bid, said the mayor acted “unusual,” and did not look him in the eye when they greeted each other in front of Roxas and their supporters. “I was there because I was invited, and because of my personal campaign to support Roxas’s presidential bid,” said Rodriguez. One moment, he said his party, the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP), has yet to decide which presidential candidate to support. The next, he said, “We leave the decision to our local candidates whom to support in the national level.” The lunch at Kagay-anon Restaurant was hosted by Capitol University president Casimiro Juarez whose family is known to be close to the former Interior secretary. Rodriguez and his group waited at the restaurant, and surprised Misamis Oriental Rep. Pedro Unabia and Moreno who accompanied Roxas. Rodriguez said Moreno greeted him and shook his hand but described it as “bugnaw.” “Kinumutan niya sa kamot medyo bugnaw, dili kusog og wala maka-smile,” said Rodriguez. He said he could not blame Moreno because the local chief executive was convinced that he (Rodriguez) had a hand in last month’s five-day standoff at city hall as a result of a dismissal order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman. “Kita man gyud iyang gibasol nga nagpa-dismiss kaniya which is not true,” Rodriguez said. He said he asked Moreno how he was but the mayor did not respond. “Wala kami mag-istorya ni Moreno kay dili man siya gatan-aw nako. Ako gatan-aw kaniya. I tried to keep up the conversation but Mayor Moreno refused to connect. That was the situation,” Rodriguez said. He said after the lunch, Roxas told them he was thankful for the “30-minute ceasefire.” Rodriguez said he laughed when he heard Roxas say this but Moreno gave a poker face. He said he had nothing personal against Moreno, and he called on the mayor to continue their respect toward each other and friendship. “Let us continue as friends despite our politics. This will pass... I am always his friend,” Rodriguez said.