The road to 2019

Bencyrus Ellorin .

MAYOR Oscar S. Moreno’s third run for the mayoralty of Cagayan de Oro City is serious business.

No longer hobbled by harassment cases from a defeated, defeatist opposition, Mayor Moreno may yet face his easiest run for public office. But this time, the stakes are high because of the need to pursue further the reforms and reconstruction he started. Perhaps, his last three years would be a mad dash to tie loose ends in aspects like traffic and flood control.

The 2019 election is serious politics. It should be about substance rather than form. It should constructive.

Dongkoy Emano has tried day in and day out to isolate Moreno. But Moreno’s political machinery is consolidated more than ever.

It has been reported that the opposition is a unitied force composed of Padayon of Dongkoy; Centrist of Rufus and Hugpong Federal of the Darimbang couple Candy and Manny.

Let us try to analyze this so-called united opposition composed 2016 loser Dongkoy, 2016 loser Rufus, and 2016 loser Candy.

Loser vice mayor Ian Acenas visited — actually, courted Vice Mayor Kikang Uy, to their side. Kikang described the encounter as akin to courtship that did not reach first base as the vice mayor instead of saying “yes” reaffirmed his love for the mayor.

Ian turned down makes him a distraught loser. Of the four losing candidates for major posts in 2016, only Rufus was man enough to concede. Dongkoy up to now says “gitikasan” without offering proof. Candy filed an election protest and have looked every inch having a hard time moving on.

Except for their claim of strength, the stat sheets tell a different story.

Padayon in the City Council has been reduced to Leon Gan, Nadya Emano and Lordan Suan. Councilor Jun Acenas was said to have sent feelers he wanted to join the ticket of Mayor Moreno in his bid for reelection. Why it did not materialize is not clear to me.

Emano’s biggest loss is Liga ng mga Barangay president and ex officio Councilor Yan Lam “Alam” Lim. As early as after the 2016 elections, Padayon already lost Inday Dahino, Annie Daba and Suzette Magtajas Daba. As for Rufus, he has no more ally in the council as Bong Lao and Eric Salcedo have rejoined Moreno.

Candy? Well, she gained on ally in the Hugpong Federalismo: Manny Darimbang.

In 2015, they said Oca’s boat was sinking. Allies turned back on him, among them Lao, Salcedo and Roger Abaday.

Now, even Abaday, Rufus’s running mate, is back in Oca’s arms, running for councilor in District 1.

It is also interesting, one of Rufus’s spokespersons, a mainstay at the their Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) Omar Labuntog, is now supporting Alam Lim who will run for congressman in the 2nd District. The former Lapasan barangay chairman is following the path of Puntod barangay chairman Rex Tinampay who resigned as CDP president to support the administration of Mayor Moreno.

This makes the CDP back to what it truly is — a Rodriguez family affair.

Moreno announced his full slate way ahead of the filing of COCs.

The opposition is still dancing the “cha-cha.” Would it be Dongkoy or Pompee La Vina. Pompee who?

I have high respects for the La Vinas, but Pompee, the man responsible for “weaponizing” social media as President Duterte’s socmed strategist in the 2016 election, could also be called the journeyman of this administration, a recyclable. He started in the SSS, got issues; shipped to the Department of Tourism as undersecretary, got issues; and now undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture, which is now facing serious issues with high vegetable prices, fish importation, rice shortage, ad nauseam.