CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno said Monday, January 22, that his impending transfer from the Liberal Party (LP) to Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is just a formality.
He said he is bolting the LP mainly because of former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., the founder of the ruling party.
Moreno said he will take his oath as an official PDP-Laban member on Saturday, January 27, at the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) Gymnasium.
"Ang akong pulitika, gikan ni kang Nene Pimentel, as early as 1995, ang political virus kang Nene ni, so my joining PDP-Laban is just a formality. I've always been a Nene Pimentel, wala ko niya gi-recruit, pero diha ko sa iya nagsugod when we worked for two years together (I got my political virus from Nene Pimentel since 1995, so my joining PDP-Laban is just a formality. I was not recruited," Moreno said in an interview.
Moreno, however, said the elder Pimentel already invited him to transfer to the party when he was sworn in as mayor in 2016 but said he postponed moving to the administration party because it was not "timely" then.
He said one of the factors that convinced him to jump ship is incumbent Senate President Koko Pimentel's plan to seek reelection next year.
"Of course, si Senate President Koko is running again, and awkward man kaayo na partido sa iyang syudad dili PDP-Laban. I hope my joining the PDP-Laban, I can help unify Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental behind Pimentel," he said.
Senate President Koko Pimentel will sworn in Mayor Moreno, along with Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy, Representative Rolando Uy of the first district, Councilors Romeo Calizo, Zaldy Ocon, George Goking, Jay Pascual, Ma. Lourdes Gaane, Reuben Daba, Teodulfo Lao Jr., Enrico Salcedo, Ian Mark Nacaya, Annie Daba, Suzette Daba, and Edna Dahino.