Rufus: ‘If I don’t run, Dongkoy might win’

By NITZ ARANCON with LITO RULONA and ALWEN SALIRING
Correspondents

REP. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District yesterday said the prospects of ex-mayor Vicente Emano winning back city hall’s top seat was among the factors that made him decide to run for mayor in 2016.

“If I don’t run, Dongkoy (Emano) might win,” Rodriguez told the Gold Star Daily.

Rodriguez said this a day after Mayor Oscar Moreno said he was worried that the congressman and Emano would join forces.

“Wala ko mahadlok apan nabalaka ako nga mag-uban sila,” Moreno told a crowd at city hall.

He said it would be good to know if Rodriguez and Emano would join forces this early.

But on the contrary, Rodriguez said he feared that Moreno would lose in his reelection bid against Emano next year because of the growing number of the mayor’s disgruntled supporters.

“They were the ones who kept on asking me to run (for mayor) because they were dissatisfied (with Moreno),” he said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a city hall consultant said Moreno lacked “personal touch” and rapport, and “does not know how to take care of his supporters.”

“Walang pakisama,” the consultant said.

One of those disgruntled is city administrator Hilario Roy Raagas who was sacked by Moreno on Monday, a day after he joined well-wishers and supporters of Rodriguez in celebrating the congressman’s 62nd birthday in his Nazareth home.

Raagas questioned Moreno’s decision, and hinted of a lawsuit.

Raagas said he received a copy of Moreno’s termination letter under protest and with reservations.

“I have not resigned. I am consulting my lawyers on our options and next actions (about) my unceremonious removal as city administrator by Moreno,” he said.

Raagas said he was supposedly on vacation leave from Sept. 14 to Sept. 18 approved by Moreno last week.

Moreno’s letter reads in part: “Accordingly, you are hereby removed from office effective on the close of business hours today, September 14, 2015, for absolute loss of trust and confidence.

“As a matter of basic courtesy, I am giving you the opportunity to resign…”

Moreno said he has been receiving information about Raagas’s “surreptitious, but less than covert, action to undermine my leadership” for months, and he asked his colleagues to suggest that he tender a courtesy resignation.

“But you remained callous in pursuing your treacherous action. Allowing you to stay longer in city hall is absolutely scandalous,” reads part of Moreno’s letter.

Assistant city administrator Dionnie Gersana said Raagas did not sumbit a resignation letter.

“After niya dawat sa letter nanghipos ra pud siya sa iyang opisina,” Gersana said.

Councilor Roger Abaday, supposedly the mayor’s ally who also went to Rodriguez’s house after the congressman’s announcement on Sunday, said Moreno and Raagas reportedly had misunderstandings, and these were aggravated by political issues.

Councilor Leon Gan, an Emano supporter, said it was clear that Raagas was sacked because he was among those who went to Rodriguez’s house on Sunday, hours after the congressman declared he would run for mayor.

“Grabi ang kaulit ni Oca nga nag-attend si Raagas sa birthday ni Rufus,” said Gan.

Another supposed Moreno ally, Councilor Enrico Salcedo, said the mayor cold-shouldered him and other councilors who attended Rodriguez’s birthday party.

“Isip higala nga nag-uban since niadtong kampanya nasubo kita og wala malipay. Naigo lamang kini siya (Raagas) sa crossfire kay naapil siya sa group nga nag-covince ni Rufus nga modagan pagka-mayor,” Salcedo said. (With reports from Hussein Macatoro)