Erap lawyer to lead opposition slate in Cagayan de Oro

The lawyer and spokesman of detained former President Joseph Estrada will lead the opposition slate in Cagayan de Oro in the May 14 elections.

Former Immigration Commissioner Rufus Rodriguez will run a candidate in the newly created second congressional district in Cagayan de Oro City, the capital city of Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao.

Rodriguez confirmed to The STAR in phone interview that he would join the Genuine Opposition (GO) and seek a congressional seat in his political bailiwick in Mindanao.

"I will lead the opposition line up in Cagayan de Oro City," Rodriguez said, adding that the local opposition in the city is still finalizing their line up from the congressional candidates down to city councilors.

Cagayan De Oro City used to have a lone congressional district represented by Rep. Contantino Jaraula, the chairman of the House committee on Constitutional reforms. But with the passage of a new law dividing the city into two districts, a congressional seat is up for grabs in the second district, which covered the historic Carmer River up to the boundary of El Salvador town, starting this elections.

Rodriguez, who placed 17th in the 1981 bar exam, was a former vice governor and senior board member of Misamis Oriental and was the youngest Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration.

He was dean of the San Sebastian College of Law before he joined the legal team of Estrada, the late Fernando Poe Jr. and former Sen. Loren Legarda.

Ray Roquero, Lakas-CMD executive director, welcomed the entry of Rodriguez in the political arena, saying that they will be field a strong candidate for the opposition lead by the returning Misamis political leader.