CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews /3 May) – Because the politicians backing Leni Robredo in this city couldn’t agree on the venue for a rally and on their choice of vice president, the presidential candidate is skipping the scheduled rally here on Wednesday and is instead proceeding elsewhere in various sorties in Mindanao.
Deputy Speaker Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de Oro) said the issue of venue where Robredo would hold the rally have remained unresolved among her supporters – Cagayan de Oro Mayor Oscar Moreno, Rep. Juliet Uy (2nd District, Misamis Oriental) and himself.
Rodriguez said Uy offered a vacant 10-hectare lot of Phividec in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental but Moreno reportedly objected to the proposal.
Moreno and Uy are running against each other for the gubernatorial post of Misamis Oriental. Moreno supports the Vice President and her running mate, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, while Uy is endorsing the vice presidential bid of Sara Duterte.
Rodriguez, like Uy, supports Robredo but endorses Duterte, or what is called the RoSa (Robredo-Duterte) movement, said he offered Cagayan de Oro as venue for the rally.
“Leni could motorcade from Tagoloan to Cagayan de Oro easily,” said Rodriguez, who is seeking reelection as 2nd District representative.
Moreno has been vocal that he would not work with politicians who endorse a RoSa ticket. Reached for his comment, the mayor said he “would not dignify the controversy by answering questions about it.”
“These people do not even display the pictures of Robredo in their political rallies,” he lamented.
Moreno said they would still hold a rally in nearby Opol town with Senator Pangilinan and his wife, Sharon Cuneta, as guests instead of Robredo.
Moreno, Uy and Rodriguez are staunch supporters of Robredo.
Instead of Cagayan de Oro, Robredo will be at the rally organized by former rebel leader Abdullah Macapaar (also known as Commander Bravo) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Pantao Ragat town in Lanao del Norte Wednesday morning.
She will then proceed to Ozamiz City and in the evening will attend a rally at the Dipolog Boulevard in Zamboanga del Norte.
On Thursday, Robredo would attend a rally at the Naliyagan Plaza Grounds at the provincial government compound in Patin-ay, Prosperidad town in Agusan del Sur, which is hosted by Gov. Santiago Cane Jr., who along with his board members and mayors have thrown their support to her presidential bid.
Robredo has been winning the support of governors and political leaders in the Caraga Region, the latest of whom is Surigao del Norte Gov. Francisco Matugas, his wife Sol, and other town mayors who expressed their support to the Vice President’s daughter, Aika, when she visited Surigao City and Siargao Island on May 1.
Matugas and the local officials signed a pink surfboard as proof of their support for Robredo.
Aika and movie actress Nadine Lustre did a house-to-house campaign in Siargao.
In Surigao del Sur, Rep. Johnny Pimentel (2nd District, Surigao del Sur) also declared his support to Robredo. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
