A word war between City Mayor Dan Lim and former OIC Gov. Victor de la Serna erupted yesterday when the former reacted sharply on the request for the "summary of budget and expenditures" of the city government.
The city mayor challenged de la Serna to substantiate and then file legal charges if he (de la Serna) can unearth anomalies at the city hall after he requested City Budget Officer Rose Palma to furnish him the summary statement of expenditures of the Lim administration.
De la Serna who is close personal friend of the mayor went to the city hall last Wednesday to request for the summary. However, he was refused by Palma who insisted that he formalize his request in writing. De la Serna, infront of the budget officer, made a hand written letter, but, was still denied the document, saying that she cannot just release such document "without the clearance of the city mayor."
De la serna went home empty handed while telling Ms. Palma that "the public is your master, and not Mayor Lim."
The mayor said dela Serna's saying that he will "audit city hall" is an insinuation that there is malversation of funds happening at the city hall.
"Since you opted not to respect friendship, then let's stop respecting each other," the mayor said during his weekly radio commentary program "Katin-awan, Baruganan" over dyRD yesterday where he devoted half of his hourlong radio slot to comment on the visit of de la Serna to city hall last Wednesday.
He described de la Serna's approach as "witch hunting" as he drew the line between them saying "you can do your worst, and I'm here to defend myself."
Lim referred his letter to the city legal officer for appropriate opinion.
“As soon as the legal officer comes out with a favorable opinion, we will be too willing to grant your request,†the mayor said.
He expressed great surprise why all of a sudden De la Serna who is even one of the legal counsels, suddenly changed pitch towards him. He narrated that oftentimes after his weekly radio program, de la Serna would host breakfast at his residence where they shared views and opinions.
"When I favored your opinions, you said I was good," Lim recalled, citing past incidents like the closure of the BQ piggery in barangay Dao where de la Serna acted as the lawyer of the city government.
It may be recalled that Lim and de la Serna were on the same camp during the last elections in fighting against then re-electionist Rep. Edgar Chatto.
But, even this, Lim criticized de la Serna for the gutter language he used to attack Rep. Chatto and even his late father, Assemblyman Eladio Chatto.
He asked de la Serna to "stop putting too much dirt when he attacks people"
"You cannot do your style to me, because I will hit back at you," Lim concluded while declaring the "breaking of ties" with de la Serna.
DE LA SERNA REPLIES
Lawyer de la Serna, who is a bar topnotcher, expressed surprise why Lim reacted that way when the summary of budget and expenditure is a public document.
"If he (Mayor Lim) has nothing to hide, then why create a big issue out of this request?" de la Serna asked.
He was shocked when budget officer Palma refused him the document saying that "it needs the clearance of the mayor."
"This comes strange to me as I don't get this attitude whenever I request documents from the provincial government," he said.
He denied having threatened budget officer Palma but admitted that she told her that the "public is her master and not, Mayor Lim."
Lawyer de la Serna said he will go back to city hall next week to demand for the said summary which is a public document.
"If I will be denied of the document, I will sue them on the basis of the anti-graft law and violation on the conduct of spending of public funds," de la Serna concluded.
--published by the Bohol Chronicle
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