THE DAY AFTER. Mayor Oscar Moreno speaks to government workers following the flagaising rites at city hall yesterday. Moreno told the employees to focus on work and leave partisan politics to politicians. (PHOTO BY NITZ ARANCON)
By NITZ ARANCON and LITO RULONA with ALWEN SALIRING
Correspondents
REP. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District yesterday said he would seek a meeting with Mayor Oscar Moreno so they could discuss their political plans following the congressman’s surprise announcement on Sunday that he would run for the city’s top post next year.
This came even as administration councilors and at least 24 barangay chairpersons reportedly pledged their support for Rodriguez’s mayoral bid right after the congressman’s Sunday announcement.
Rodriguez said he was hoping to meet and sit down with Moreno any time this week.
He said he had nothing personal against Moreno, and they would remain good friends even after his announcement.
Rodriguez’s on-air declaration on Sunday meant he would challenge the likely reelection bid of Moreno whom he helped install as mayor against the then mayor Vicente Emano.
“Higala gihapon nato si Mayor Moreno so ako gihapon siyang estoryahon,” said Rodriguez.
He said Moreno, his family, and just about everyone else did not know that he would make the announcement. He said he had kept his plan to himself until Sunday morning when he broke the news live over radio station DxCC.
Rodriguez said he would want to seriously talk with Moreno, and tell the mayor why he arrived at the decision to seek the mayoral post in 2016.
At city hall yesterday, Moreno addressed local government employees, and told them to focus on their work and leave politics to the politicians.
Moreno said he respected the decision of Rodriguez to run for mayor but “since democracy resides in the people, the people have the right to choose who to elect.”
He said Rodriguez’s announcement caught him by surprise because the congressman had repeatedly said he would not run for mayor in 2016.
Moreno said Rodriguez even lauded his administration when they were in Canada recently.
“But there are no permanent allies in politics,” he said.
Moreno said he was unfazed but he urged Rodriguez to declare this early if he and Emano were joining forces.
During his birthday celebration on Sunday, Rodriguez said he was considering Moreno’s supposed political allies––councilors Teodulfo Lao Jr., Eric Salcedo, Zaldy Ocon and Lourdes Darimbang––as candidates under his planned ticket for next year.
Rodriguez said the others being considered were former city councilor and ex-barangay chairman Aaron Neri of Macasandig, Tablon barangay chairman Romeo Bacarro, Lapasan barangay chairman Omar Labuntog, lawyer James Judith, Roger Villazorda, Edgar Cabanlas, former vice mayor Antonio Soriano, and city administrator Roy Hilario Raagas.
Most are closely associated with the Moreno administration, and they all came, except for Darimbang and Labuntog, to Rodriguez’s 62nd birthday celebration at his home on 12th Street, Nazareth.
Rodriguez said councilor Roger Abaday is a potential candidate for vice mayor.
But the congressman said all these were merely possibilities, and that nothing was final until the Centrist Democratic Party’s convention here on Sept. 27.
“Kon makada-og sila sa atong election sa atong party convention, sila na ang atong mga kandidato,” Rodriguez said.
He said the CDP would have a complete set of candidates in the city’s 1st and 2nd districts by Sept. 27, and they would file their certificates of candidacy this Oct. 12.
Rodriguez said, “18-0 ang target sa atong kampanya aron tulin ang pag-uswag sa atong syudad, dili sama karon nga babagan sa city council ang mga plano sa mayor. Dili pwede na.”
Rodriguez said the CDP would likely support Rep. Rolando Uy who can still seek reelection in the 1st District.
“He will be the adapted candidate of the CDP in the 1st District. We believe in Klarex’s performance in the first district. He deserves another term of office,” Rodriguez said.
“Dili nato hikawan ang tibuok siyudad sa atong kinasingkasing nga serbisyo. Wala kami nagkaistorya ni Oca about ani but my dedication to public service will prevail. Naningkamot si Oca nga ma-implement niya ang buhaton sa siyudad apan kulang kaayo,” Rodriguez said.
He said city hall needs a mayor who can run city hall smoothly.
“Dili na unya mahitabo ang gihimo sa mayoriya nga sige lamang ug babag sa executive. There should be a candidate who can unite Cagayanons,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Padayon Pilipino leader, Councilor Alexander Dacer, said his party welcomes Rodriguez as a candidate for mayor here next year, adding the congressman’s entry has increased ex-mayor Emano’s chances to staging a city hall comeback.
Dacer said the congressman would likely cause an exodus of supporters from Moreno’s group to the Rodriguez camp. In contrast, he said, the Padayon Pilipino would remain intact.
“Sigurado ako nga solid among grupo busa dako ang posibilidad nga sila (Rufus and Moreno) hinawiray na sa ilang mga supporters,” Dacer said.
Councilor Ramon Tabor, who declared his plan to run for congressman under Emano’s group, Moreno should be worried by now because he had thought that Rodriguez would support him again.
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
