By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent
FORMER Senate president Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday relived his 2013 performance at the Don Gregorio Pelaez Sports Center when he openly declared his support for the mayoral bid of the then Misamis Oriental governor Oscar Moreno. He sang his favorite 1939 country song “You are My Sunshine” again before thousands of spectators at Divisoria after swearing into office Mayor Moreno who won a reelection in May.
Moreno gamely responded with Louis Armstrong’s 1967 hit “What a Wonderful World,” another song that reverberated during the mayor’s biggest campaign gathering in 2013.
Moreno took his oath of office before Pimentel, a former mayor, signalling the start of his second office term as the city’s mayor.
Pimentel also sworn into office Rep. Rolando Uy of the city’s 1st District. His son Raineir Joaquin took his oath as the new vice mayor before Carmen barangay chairperson Rosemary Lorna Uy. The barangay executive is the congressman’s wife and the vice mayor’s mother.
Six councilors–Zaldy Ocon, Jay Pascual, Romeo Caliso, George Goking, Reuben Daba, and Dr. Ma. Lourdes Gaane–took their oath before Moreno.
Addressing the crowd, Pimentel called on Cagayanons to support city hall, and described Moreno as “the best mayor we ever had.”
“Kon na-ay inyong makita nga maayong buhat ni Mayor Moreno dayga ninyo; apan kon sayop, badlonga, aron makatoltol siya sa insaktong dalan.”
Moreno, for his part, said he was optimistic about his second term as mayor his his political ally, Vice Mayor Uy, leading the local legislative department.
He said he wanted the city’s executive and legislative branches to work together, calling on all councilors to unite with him.
“How can we project the image of peace kon kita mismo ang magsigi ug away?” Moreno asked rhetorically. “We want to deliver a message to our children that harmony is very important because that was what we learned from our parents–harmony and unity.”
He described his first three years as mayor of the city as “kalbaryo,” blaming too much partisan politics.
Moreno cited the case filed against him at the Office of the Ombudsman that led to a ruling dismissing him from office and perpetually disqualifying him from holding any government position. Moreno has assailed the ruling before the appellate court.
He said, “Kung meron mang kalbaryo, okay lang kung sa akin yan, huwag lang sa taong bayan. Kaya ko yan, dahil alam ko naman na wala akong kasalanan. Pero huwag lang pahirapan ang ating mga kababayan. After all, iyan po ang aking pakay.”
Vice Mayor Uy, meanwhile, said there would be changes in the city council, its house rules and the composition of its committees.
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