Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez
INQUIRER PHOTO/LYN RILLON
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – As the tally for the mayoral election here reached more than 80 percent of the votes cast Monday, 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez conceded defeat to incumbent Mayor Oscar Moreno.
In his text message to Moreno, which he also sent to reporters, Rodriguez said: “I concede to you as the clear winner for mayor! Congratulations Mayor Oca! Rufus.”
Rodriguez, the national president of the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP), ran against Moreno of the Liberal Party (LP) and former mayor Vicente Emano, founder and chairman of Padayon Pilipino, a local party affiliated with Vice President Jejomar Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
As of 10:06 p.m. Monday, Moreno led with 83,447 votes, with Emano trailing at 69,757. Rodriguez came in third with 54,844.
The city has a voting population of 305,321.
Moreno’s running mate Raineir Joaquin Uy also topped the vice mayoral race with 80,140 votes. He is followed by Caesar Ian Acenas of UNA with 73,683, and CDP’s Roger Abaday, 37,773. SFM/rga