CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno said he is not taking any sides in the Canoy-Ocon dispute and hoped that both families will eventually reconcile.
On Wednesday evening, June 12, 2019, Councilor Zaldy Ocon was nowhere near the oath taking ceremony and the Independence Day rites.
"I don't know (where he is), but probably he's taking a low profile for the meantime. Of course he is hurting and I know that it's a difficult position that he is in, ang ato lang tagaan ug panahon to reflect on what happened," Moreno said.
Moreno said he also respects the move of a group to gather signatures and call for the ouster of Ocon from the council.
"We are a democracy and everyone is free to express his or her views and I do not question that, that's a prerogative of the people, we respect that, but there's a process for that, now ang ako lang, is nakasabot ako that emotions are still very high with what happened last weekend so ako lang let's just hope that cooler heads will prevail, hope they will reconcile," he said.
"Like I said the Canoy-Ocon combination should not be broken," he added.
Moreno also disclosed that former mayor Reuben Canoy's daughter Rhona visited him in his office to discuss the incident at the VIP hotel.
He said he told Rhona that he will remain neutral.
"I've listened to both versions, si Rhona was in my office the other day, I talked to her and I gave her my position that I'm not taking sides, and I realize that emotions are quite high, and I hope that emotions will die down and good relations will be restored as soon as possible," he said.
Meanwhile, Rhona met with President Rodrigo Duterte right after the oath taking ceremony on Wednesday.
Rhona said Duterte had known about the viral video since last week, which showed Ocon berating her father.
"Nag-apologize sya nga tungod ani nga kaso, kay nag-ingon man gud si Zaldy during their confrontation nga: 'tungod kay tawo ka sa presidente abi nimo nahadlok ninyo, wala ko nahadlok ninyo ipapatay ko ninyo', among other things nga mas ngil-ad pa," she said.
Rhona, however, said it was not the only reason for her meeting with Duterte.
"Nagpahatod ug kumusta akong papa, there were some other things nga among tuyo, personal na so I'd like to keep it private," she added.