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By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

MAYOR Oscar Moreno and Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of the city’s 2nd District over the weekend welcomed efforts to bring them to the negotiating table for a possible agreement before the filing of certificates of candidacy next month. “I welcome that. That’s a very good move,” said Rodriguez.

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Moreno said the same thing as he welcomed moves for “unity talks” between him and Rodriguez who declared two Sundays ago that he would challenge the reelection bid of the mayor.

“Walay problema kana sa ako,” said Moreno of the prospects of him and Rodriguez talking about not breaking up their political alliance.

Their pronouncements came on separate occasions on Saturday, days after ex-vice mayor Antonio Soriano, chairman of the Citizens’ Watch for Good Governance, revealed that a group composed of religious leaders, business executives, and academics met, and then tasked him to broker talks between Moreno and Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said he was waiting for Soriano to finalize a proposal and set the day of the meeting. Another group from the Xavier University High School Batch ’70 is also planning on helping bridge the gap between Moreno and Rodriguez, said businessman Oscar Salcedo. He said the same group was instrumental in convincing Rodriguez to join forces with Moreno and 1st District Rep. Rolando Uy against the Padayon Pilipino party of the then mayor Vicente Emano in 2013.

Over radio station DxCC a night before, Moreno said he always tried to preserve his alliance with the Rodriguezes. In fact, he said, he had planned to ask Rodriguez’s sister Jocelyn to be his running mate in the 2016 elections. Rodriguez sister is the barangay chairperson of Nazareth.

But he said Rodriguez’s announcement of his mayoral bid affected, and changed his political plans. “Kinsa may dili maapiktohan ana nga imbis all systems go na unta, nabulabog man,” Moreno said. He said he was looking at the positive side. “Sigi lang kay tanan nga mga problema na-a kanay mga opportunities nga gitawag ug silver lining o blessing in disguise.”

For one, he said, he was able to identify his true political allies like his 2013 running mate, former councilor Edgar Cabanlas, who supposedly renewed his pledge of support to his reelection bid last week.

Cabanlas was one of the politicians who went to Rodriguez’s Nazareth house in time for the celebration of the congressman’s 62nd birthday two Sundays ago, hours after Rodriguez announced his mayoral bid. (nitz arancon)

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