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DE LASERNA, LIM |
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Vowing
to publish details of his expenditures in newspapers,
City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday disclosed the figures claimed
by former OIC governor Victor dela Serna were exaggerated.
Dela
Serna alleged that Lim spent some P97 million in fiscal
year 2006, which is about one-third of the city government's
budget for that year.
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The
amount however included expenses of the General Services Office
(GSO) of about P39 million, which was not yet headed at that
year by the mayor's executive assistant Mark Leo Monton.
Lim
hinted that the actual figure of expenses charged to his office
in 2006 was about 80% lower than what Dela Serna had alleged
of P58 million.
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According
to Lim, there are several offices under the Office of
the Mayor where expenses are also being charged.
He
said even barangay captains come to him with requests
for funds of barangay projects which he takes from his
discretionary allocation.
"There
is no such thing as juggling of funds," the mayor
stressed, saying that all his expenditures are subject
to the approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Lim
added that if Dela Serna is asking for transparency
and accountability, he will be publishing his fund disbursements
every quarter in the newspapers.
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The
mayor likewise explained that he is not hiding anything.
He
said that his travel expenses, which has been the subject
of doubts, is not excessive as perceived by many since everytime
he goes to Manila, he no longer charges the city government
representation allowance.
Lim
said last Saturday that he asked the Ombudsman Visayas to
initiate an investigation on him to pre-empt attempts by Dela
Serna to subject him to trial by publicity based on what the
latter said to be abuse of discretion on the part of the mayor.
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