Maxie sees family, Moreno reuniting

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

FORMER congressman Rufus Rodriguez is going to stage a comeback, campaign to retake his seat in Congress, and would likely reunite with Mayor Oscar Moreno in 2019.

His brother, Rep. Maximo Rodriguez Jr. of the city’s 2nd district, yesterday said he sees his family and Moreno’s group joining forces again given that the mayor would lead local officials in taking their oath as members of the PDP-Laban this month.

“Dako ang possibility nga mag-uban kami nila ni Mayor Moreno tungod sa partido,” said Rep. Rodriguez.

The congressman has joined the administration PDP-Laban while his brother’s Centrist Democratic Party has an alliance agreement with the PDP-Laban that started in 2016.

The congressman said he was sworn into the PDP-Laban by Senate President Aquilino Martin Pimentel III shortly after he won the congressional seat vacated by his brother to challenge Moreno’s reelection bid in 2016.

Marlo Tabac, PDP-Laban council chairman for Cagayan de Oro, said Moreno, Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy, and Rep. Rolando Uy of the city’s 1st District, are scheduled to be sworn in as PDP-Laban members this Jan. 27.

Also scheduled to be sworn in are nembers of the city council majority: George Goking, Romeo Calizo, Zaldy Ocon, Reuben Daba, Jay Pascual, Ma. Lourdes Gaane;

Teodulfo Lao Jr., Enrico Salcedo, Ian Mark Nacaya, Annie Daba, Suzette Daba, and  Edna Dahino.

“As members sa PDP-Laban, na-a may kasabutan diha nga imong pirmahan nga you pledge to abide by the rules and regulation sa partido,” Rep. Rodriguez said.

Councilor Enrico Salcedo, who ran for a city council seat in 2016 under the CDP, said it was revealed during a party hosted by the Rodriguezes in December that the ex-congressman plans to seek his seat in 2nd District next year.

Salcedo said the congressional seat would be left vacant by the younger Rodriguez who is already serving his third and final office term in the Lower House. Before he succeeded his brother Rufus, he already served as a representative of the party-list Abante Mindanao for two consecutive terms.

“Kadtong iyang two terms sa pagka-Abamin party-list representative, carried na man to sa iyang three terms sa Congress,” Salcedo said.