TOGETHER STILL. Reelectionist Mayor Oscar Moreno stands side by side with Rep. Rolando Uy of the city’s 1st District, vice mayoral candidate Joaquin Rainier Uy, ex-councilor and 2nd District congressional candidate Edgar Cabanlas, and members of the local LP ticket as they pause for a prayer during a multisectoral rally in Divisoria here on Saturday afternoon. (PHOTOS COURTESY OF RHOEL CONDEZA)
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By HERBIE GOMEZ
Editor in chief
and LITO RULONA
Correspondent

MAYOR Oscar Moreno’s group on Saturday staged a show of unity, solidarity and force at Divisoria where Rep. Rolando Uy of the city’s 1st District renewed his support for the local candidates of the administration Liberal Party (LP).

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The big political gathering at Kiosko Kagawasan took place days after Uy openly withdrew his support from LP presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II to Sen. Grace Poe, a move seen by the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP) as a sign of weakness on the part of the local LP group.

CDP leader and Moreno’s challenger Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said Uy’s move only weakened the group of the reelectionist mayor and would boost the campaign of the CDP to win seats in the city in the May elections.

Moreno rally

But the Moreno group merely brushed aside Rodriguez’s pronouncements even as it maintained that it has remained solid and its machinery, intact and stronger.

Uy declared during the rally: “Aron kamo masayod, ang ‘Team OKKE’ sa Cagayan de Oro wala nabungkag, gisamot hinuon ka lig-on.”

Uy repeatedly campaigned for the local LP candidates during the rally. “Nagkahiusa kami alang kaninyo.”

On Saturday afternoon, Moreno’s group won the Federated Urban Poor Association to its side. Its president, Roger Bolanon, openly endorsed Moreno and his candidates during the so-called Kagayanong Kampanya alang sa Kalambuan multisectoral rally in Divisoria.

For his part, Rodriguez said he expected the local LP group to lose support from the administration party because of Uy’s withdrawal of support from Roxas.

He pointed out that one of Uy’s sons, Joaquin Rainier, is the running mate of Moreno under the LP.

“This is a big political crisis on the part of the administration. Unsaon man nila karon pag-pangpangampanya nga same stage unya ang ilang gidala lahi-lahi nga presidente?” Rodriguez asked rhetorically.

Rodriguez said that while other political groups in the city are having problems on unity, the CDP would continue to unite and strategize to win seats.

He said his group would only support the presidential campaign of Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. “Dili kay magtabok-tabok.”

Meanwhile, the CDP claimed it learned that some candidates of another political group, the Padayon Pilipino, have been forging alliances with the Poe’s camp.

On Friday, Padayon Pilipino leader and former mayor Vicente Emano met with Sen. Francis Escudero at Kagayanon Restaurant. Escudero is the running mate of Poe.

Rodriguez’s brother Maximo Jr., representative of Abante Mindanao and a candidate for congressman, said Councilor Ramon Tabor was also seen with Sen. Poe during her rally here last week. Tabor is the younger Rodriguez’s rival in the congressional race in the 1st District.

The Padayon Pilipino has committed to support the presidential bid of Vice President Jejomar Binay.

“Matawag na nato sila nga flying candidates. Buak-buak na sila og walay baruganan,” said the younger Rodriguez.

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