City Mayor Dan Neri Lim came out swinging yesterday, the clarity of his voice betrayed any hint of critical health condition, as he went on air to debunk reports that he suffered a stroke. The city mayor’s bitterest critic, Station DYRD, went to town to announce Mayor Lim’s fourth day confinement at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Makati Medical Center. At the first sign that his critics went on overdrive to hype his ailment, Mayor Lim lost no time in calling Station DYTR last Friday and turned the tables on his detractors that he was hale and healthy after all. Not contented with his first appearance on air to dismiss insinuations of his critical condition, Mayor Lim called up Station DYTR again yesterday and spoke for about 15 minutes in his weekly program “Ang Mayor sa Dakbayan”.

The DYRD report said that he was rushed to the ICU  after doctors reportedly diagnosed him to have a congestive heart failure last Wednesday. In his weekly radio program yesterday, Mayor Lim denied reports that he suffered a stroke as circulated by his critics whom he said should not take "the sole role of the Almighty to know when his life will end." The denial of the mayor likewise ended rumors that he collapsed last  Wednesday. In a brief talk with the program anchor, Mayor Lim denied as having admitted at an ICU in the Makati Med. Talking through his mobile phone, the city mayor said he was at the hospital for a regular medical check up. He said the executive check up which he planned long time ago was finally realized after his doctors found water in his lungs. He also noticed that his feet has swollen given rise to its bluish color. Summing up his health condition while in the hospital, Mayor Lim said the executive check up enables him to undergo a complete overhaul in preparations for a much ballyhooed political combat in 2013 where he is groomed to run for first district congressman.

GIVEAWAY

The dead giveaway in the mayor’s hospital stay was his admission that he was on leave effective next Monday. According to unverified reports although they have been circulating all over town since Thursday, the mayor was advised to rest for three months. There was no categorical confirmation as to the number of days he will be on leave but he said a mouthful yesterday when he addressed V-Mayor Nuevas Tirol-Montes as acting mayor.

NEWS EMBARGO

The Post was at a loss whether to come out with its own version of the mayor’s state of health story after the paper was subjected to a news embargo from city hall. Convinced that the paper cannot just fold its arm to a running story because the mayor’s health is a public concern, the Post decided to lift its self-imposed embargo, if only to come out with its own version of the story, no matter is the cost in political terms. The Post and city hall has since been in a sort of “lover’s quarrel” resulting in a drought of news stories coming from the city mayor’s office. What started the city hall fall out was the suspicion on the part of Mayor Lim that the paper is “sleeping with the enemies” of the city mayor.