Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim yesterday gave indications that he would be taking legal action soon. In recent days, the mayor has dropped broad hints about his plans to seek redress over what he claims is a pattern of vicious attacks against him. “Who issued the challenge and who merely responded to the challenge?” the mayor asked. He said it is important to resolve this question because his enemies are good at distorting the issues. “If you listen to them, your mayor is the trouble-maker while Gov. Edgar Chatto is the victim and the one who is persecuted,” he added. The mayor said there is a need to settle this issue because there are people who are gullible and susceptible to manipulation. Lim made it clear that he will not entertain any more explanations about the governor’s innocence in the attacks against him. “You will recall that during the campaign in the 2004 elections, there was no a single line of attack from my end,” he noted.

Lim said that even after his assumption, there was no animosity as shown by the fact that there was harmony in the city hall even though he only had one councilor. All these changed, however, when then Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso started to entertained ambitions to become mayor. “This was where the trouble started,” he noted To his critics, Lim said that no matter what he does, it was wrong, no matter what his program, it was anomalous, no matter what his objectives, it was bad. Lim blamed Chatto for the unrelenting attacks against him even though the governor’s hand was invisible. “Even he cuts his throat gesturing about his innocence, I will not be moved,” he added. Lim pointed out that in the latest issue where he was subjected to embarrassment and humiliation, Chatto himself called up the owner of Zest Air to go after him. “This is too much,” the mayor bared. Lim said it is not just him but his family and the entire city that was humiliated by this. “If this is what he wants, I will accept his challenge,” the mayor declared.

Instead of trying to outdo each other in a competition of projects, Lim said they would now have to open themselves up to public scrutiny. “I challenge him to continue to take advantage with the media that is favorable to him while I take remedy in the courts that do not favor anybody,” he added. Lim said that in the media, he did not have an opportunity to give his side, but in the courts of law, Chatto will have his day. “It means that I will have no clear advantage,” the mayor added. Lim, however, stressed that he never intended to be given special treatment and favor. “No one can say it to my face that I used and took advantage of my position for myself,” he added. So this is why even in his quest for justice, Lim said he still wants a fair deal for all.