CITY councilors aligned with the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) under the leadership of Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez have been expelled from the party, according to Vice Mayor Joycelyn ‘Bebot’ Rodriguez.
Vice Mayor Rodriguez confirmed yesterday that City Councilors James Judith and Malvern ‘Bernie’ Esparcia are no longer part of the CDP.
“They were expelled from our party for being traitors due to personal interests,” the vice mayor said in Visayan.
Both Judith and Esparcia were formerly dedicated members of the CDP. Vice Mayor Rodriguez questioned their loyalty, attributing their expulsion to greed and accusing them of prioritizing personal interests over party allegiance.
It is alleged that both Judith and Esparcia plan to join the party of Mayor Rolando Uy.
However, Vice Mayor Rodriguez revealed that Mayor Uy instructed the councilors to seek proper permission from the CDP before making such a move.
In an attempt to address the situation, a meeting took place early in the morning on January 15 at the Mayor’s Office, where Mayor Uy asked the councilors to seek permission.
“Gi ignan sila ni mayor nga mananghid,” Rodriguez said but the two failed to comply.
Emphasizing the significance of loyalty and principles, Vice Mayor Rodriguez criticized the councilors, stating, “We give (our) all, the two are the privileged councilors. Kung hakog ka nga tao you will not remember the people that helped you kay hakog ka man, wala man kay konsensya, wala kay prinsipyo, (ug) wala kay dignidad.”
Both Judith and Esparcia were notably absent during the City Council’s Regular Session on Monday.
In an interview over Magnum Radio today, they indirectly hinted at their desire to align with Mayor Uy.
Esparcia highlighted that their demands have been met with Mayor Uy, particularly regarding assistance for the residents of Cagayan de Oro.
For his part, Judith, describing himself as a productive councilor, expressed challenges faced due to minority status and a lack of support from the majority and the mayor.
However, both councilors acknowledged their indebtedness to the Rodriguez family for their political careers. They claimed to have negotiated the matter with lawyer Regine Rodriguez, the Chief of Staff of the CDP.
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