I’ll take the risk, Lim declares
Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim yesterday said he is willing to take the risks to implement long-overdue road improvement projects.
“I am willing to go to jail for that,” he declared unequivocally.
The mayor said he is tired of all the zarzuelas about the supposed concern for accountability of public funds.
“They always claim they are merely concerned if the funds are spent properly. I am more concerned about that because I am more concerned for the people,” he added.
Lim recalled that nobody showed concern about how the funds were spent in the previous administration which left him with nearly P200 million in debt.
“Up to now, I don’t know how the funds were spent but I had to pay it so the city government will not lose its credibility before financial institutions,” he added.
The mayor said no one cared to know where he got the funds to pay for the huge debts and how he managed to spend for all the pro-people projects that the city has undertaken since he assumed office.
Now that things are running smoothly and the city government has a strong fiscal position, he said political opponents are trying to portray themselves as the guardian of public funds.
Lim said that this time, the funds are clearly intended for development projects which are long overdue.
“I won’t allow any more delays just because some people want publicity at my expense. If they find anything anomalous, they can send me to jail,” he added.
Lim lashed out at his critics saying they seem to be “frustrated auditors.”
“We have the (Commission on Audit) doing its job. Why are they trying to usurp its functions?” he asked.
The mayor said he is wondering if Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso thinks being an auditor is “hereditary.”
Lim added that he is no longer concerned about what the minority bloc in the city council wants to do.
“After all, they have already been saying that there are many anomalies in my administration even though they cannot pinpoint even a single one that can stand in court,” he added.
The mayor said the only reason the politicians in the council want to delay the proceedings is to stop the project and gain publicity mileage.
“They have already maligned me as a thief and now they want me to give them the proof. How lucky can they get?” he pressed on.
Lim said that he will not allow the elections to be an obstacle to the development momentum that politicians have succeeded in doing the last three years.
“They can go on with their show but I have work to do,” he added.
Tags: debts, funds, jail, lim, risks
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