Cagayan de Oro City Hall
GSD File PHOTO BY NITZ ARANCON
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By Nitz Arancon

THE interior department tried to end the standoff at city hall last night by recognizing Mayor Oscar Moreno while it waits for the Court of Appeals (CA) to clarify the temporary restraining order it issued on Friday.

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Moreno announced last night that he received the letter from Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional director Nilo Castanares who went to city hall with his staff.

The letter was signed by DILG Undersecretary Austere Panadero, and was delivered to city hall past 7 pm last night.

“This ends the standoff, and brings back normalcy to the city,” said Moreno.

There was jubilation again at city hall as the embattled mayor’s supporters came on hearing the news about the DILG’s action.

The situation remains volatile though because the DILG’s position could easily change, depending on how the CA would act on the the department’s manifestation.

The DILG earlier asked the CA to clarify the 60-day TRO it issued on Friday.

Moreno’s lawyer Bryan Dale Mordeno also filed a motion with a manifestation to the CA to declare the 60-day TRO in force, and to direct the interior department to implement it.

One of Acenas’s lawyers however said the latest motion only strengthens their contention that the TRO could not be used in unseating their client.

Mordeno said the manifestation seeks to clear up everything about the TRO.

“Maayo unta og mahuman na kini aron dili kita maglalis sa legality,” Mordeno told local radio.

But Acenas’ lawyer Janeth Nuñez responded: “Kana nga manifestation nag-angkon na kana nga TRO walay pulos, wala maka-epekto ni Mayor Acenas. Ngano mangayo man sila? CA only based its order on what they had stated in their petition… Sila ra man ang nag-away, walay labot si Acenas. We cannot interplead kay wala man kami’y labot ani. Ila ra kini nga away nila ni former Taglimao barangay chairman William Guialani, Ombudsman and the DILG.”

The standoff at city hall entered the 5th day yesterday. Until last night, no resolution was in sight.

In the morning, city police director Faro Antonio Olaguera diffused the tension as supporters and security groups of warring politicians confronted each other at the city hall grounds.

Senior Supt. Olaguera quickly came and stood as ground commander after a group led by former acting city police director Antonio Montalba stopped a city hall-owned bus that was about to leave for Barangay Bulua.

Montalba’s group, identified with interior department-installed Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas, prevented the bus from leaving city hall because its driver had no travel order signed by Acenas.

Moreno’s supporters in the bus and security group reacted, resulting in a heated exchange.

Olaguera said he stepped in and calmed down the two groups by convincing them to meet halfway.

He said Acenas’s men eventually allowed the bus to leave on condition that the vehicle would be brought back and parked at the city hall grounds.

“Misugot man pod ang duha ka panig sa akong paghusay nila. Ako na lagi ang nagsilbing ground commander karon dinhi sa city hall kay kon akong biya-an, magka gubot man,” said Olaguera.

Acenas named chiefs of offices, prompting Moreno to warn that he would file charges of usurpation of authority and grave misconduct against those who would attempt to take control of city hall offices on Acenas’s order.

In a news conference in the morning, Moreno urged Acenas’s appointees to step aside.

“I urge them to move out. I urge them not to take any provocative action. What they are doing… what they have done… I urge them to withdraw if not, we will certainly file cases,” Moreno said.

The warning was directed at Mario Batar, Atinodoro Asquia, and Roland Butaslac. Batar was named chief of the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro);  Asquia was designated head of the assessors’ office while Butaslac was named as Community Improvement Division head.

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