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While Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim was fighting in another front to drive home the point that nobody was untouchable as far as he was concerned, his fighting mood against Presiding Judge Teofilo Baluma of the Regional Trial Court Branch I remains in frenetic proportions.

 The city mayor’s running feud with the twin media enterprise—DYRD-Bohol Chronicle combined took a turn for the worst when he dragged the media powerhouse’s tax payments into the limelight.           

  This time, Lim’s  close brush with the presiding magistrate zeroed in on the latter’s inhibition from a controversial Rehabilitate, Operate, Transfer contract of the Tagbilaran City Square.

 Judge Baluma’s inhibition, made known Monday, came at a time when the two conflicting parties have agreed on Baluma’s handling of the case.

 As subsequent events showed, while the parties were in agreement to Baluma’s role as the third man in the  legal ring, came this pronouncement from the judge himself that he cannot handle the case owing to the relation of his deceased spouse  to Councilor Zenaido Rama, one  of the plaintiffs of the case. They were distant cousins, according to the clan’s patriarch, thus making Baluma ineligible to handle the case. The judge cited the relation as a ground for mandatory inhibition.           

  Rama however has declared in a radio interview that he is not a party to the case and has refused to receive notices for this reason.           

  Lim was quick to the draw by challenging Baluma to set aside his inhibition and hear the case which has been tossed from one RTC sala to another due to the motions for inhibition filed by both parties.           

  The mayor pointed out that if the only impediment to Baluma’s hearing the case was his “sudden realization” that his wife is related to Rama, this has been effectively removed now that the councilor has denied that he is one of the complainants.           

  “The inhibition is amazing because no one raised this issue, not lawyer Alexander Lim and certainly not the mayor who has in fact dared him to hear the case,” Lim said.           

  The mayor said he is confused who included Rama as one of the plaintiffs in the class suit that was filed by lawyers Victor de la Serna, Zotico Ochavillo and Lim and radio block timer Roberto Alba.           

  “As to why (Rama) was included by the legal luminaries now persecuting the city government, we will no longer comment on that. As to why praised is being heaped on Rama because he supposedly stood up for the interest of the people, they will be the one to explain,” the mayor added.           

   Lim said that if Baluma is not afraid of anybody, he will reassume jurisdiction over the case that is being given priority by his media critics “more than their responsibility to pay their taxes”.           

  “If this is the biggest problem in the city as they make it appear, then it is a challenge to Judge Baluma to be the instrument to let justice prevail,” he added.           

  The mayor admitted that he was forced to react to Baluma’s order dated Jan. 26 because the judge revived other issues aside from the relationship of his spouse to Rama.           

  “He should decide which is which. If he decided to inhibit because of Rama is related to his departed spouse, then he should stop right there instead of using the order to cast aspersion on my office and the other judges,” he added.           

  Lim disclosed that he will make a formal complaint on the conduct of the case to concerned offices.           

  “Judge Baluma raised very serious allegations that impugn not just the character of all RTC judges who are beneficiaries of honorariums from the city government but also the justice system itself,” he added.           

  The mayor said there has to be an arbiter to decide on the issues raised by Baluma and his clarifications because otherwise they will be left hanging.           

  “Judge Baluma wants to assault the credibility of the mayor in his order but he does not want me to rebut his malicious and reckless allegations,” he added.           

  Lim declared that he will not allow the insults to pass not because he cannot allow contrary ideas but because the judge is actually insulting the constituents who voted him into office.

source: Sunday Post

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