More lies and deception from LIFE team
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
THE LIFE team of the Lim mother-son in Dagupan City recently held a grand presscon for another set of lies and deception for public consumption apparently organized by ex-Mayor Brian Lim, who is vying for the vice-mayoralty post in Dagupan City. Curiously, it’s his mother, Councilor Celia Lim who’s seeking the mayoralty post yet she has been extremely very soft-spoken if not completely quiet when her son’s claimed lies are being discussed.
The main focus of the presscon this time: The failed delivery of the DOH’s P150-M Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) project by the DOH and the Belen Fernandez administration after the seven councilors passed the required resolution.
Unfortunately for Mr. Lim, his mother and his barkada, the facts reported by The PUNCH on the issue easily showed that he was lying about everything, about the MCH project.
No. 1 LIE: The DOH had six months to deliver and failed and, therefore, both the DOH and the Belen Fernandez administration should be blamed.
The TRUTH: It took the seven LIFE councilors in the majority, 28 MONTHS (or TWO YEARS, FOUR MONTHS) to comply with DOH’s single requirement – a resolution authorizing Mayor Belen Fernandez to sign an agreement with DOH on the MCH project after rejecting Mayor Belen’s earlier two certifications of urgency, citing the November 2024 deadline.
So, the period only gave the DOH and the Belen administration less than ONE MONTH, NOT SIX MONTHS, to meet the November 2024 deadline made known to the sanggunian.
No.2 LIE: The seven LIFE councilors submitted ALL documentary requirements for the hospital project.
The TRUTH: There were no documentary requirements needed. What was ONLY required of the sanggunian was a mere resolution authorizing Mayor Fernandez to sign a memorandum of agreement for the construction and establishment of the MCH. No other documents required.
A resolution merely expressing support for MCH was passed on September 2024 but not the resolution required by DOH. The needed resolution was finally passed on October 8, 2024 BUT with one condition attached – not to allow the construction of the MCH in the area proposed by DOH, the 9,475 sqm. land donated to it by the Fernandez family. That created a legal obstacle for the DOH, as intended.
No. 3 LIE: The seven LIFE councilors submitted alternate sites to DOH.
The TRUTH: All the proposed alternate sites did not have 9,475 sqm. land that the DOH was providing. Among these included a 6K plus sqm in Bonuan Binloc that was closer to residents of Mangaldan and San Fabian than to most Dagupan residents, lands occupied by national government agencies that would require the demolition of the offices of national agencies to give room for the MCH. It also added the demolition of the CSI Mall by the market
No. 4 LIE: The DOH and the Belen administration did not act fast enough to meet the deadline.
The TRUTH: The DOH appealed for the withdrawal of the condition to allow it to beat the November deadline and allow it to use the land donated to DOH, but to no avail. Consequently, in a desperate attempt to beat and seek the extension of the deadline beyond November 2024, both the DOH and the Belen administration agreed to allow the MCH to be constructed on the area vacated by the LTO and the DSWD warehouse for demolition on Poblacion Oeste, a mere 850 sqm. land that needed a P5-M budget from the city government to clear the area.
Clearing operations were completed in January 2025, two months after the November 2024 deadline. On March 19, 2025: DOH advised the city government that P150-M budget for the MCH had been withdrawn.
So I challenge mayoralty bet Councilor Celia Lim and his VM tandem, son Mr. Brian Lim to refute The PUNCH’s factual reports with official accounts in their next presscon and during his weekly radio.
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THEY KNEW THE TRUTH AND THE LIES. Councilors Celia Lim, Dada Reyna, Red Erfe-Mejia, Alfie Fernandez, Alvin Coquia, Irene Lim and Malou Fernandez were fully aware of the ploy to deceive the public. So, it didn’t surprise me that no one dared to add to complement Mr. Lim’s lies. Most everyone’s eyes were cast down as Mr. Lim delivered his spiel because more than anyone in the room, they knew what the truth was. Even Councilor Celia was only seen nodding her head once to affirm her son’s claim about the resolution.
Curiously, Mr. Lim, who was never in the sanggunian’s gallery to observe the proceedings, was doing all the talking for the 7 epaLIFE councilors. That gives credence to observations at the city hall that Councilor Red was taking instructions from Mr. Lim all the time while inside the session hall.
What Mr. Lim deliberately omitted to mention in his “articulate” lying was what transpired the whole time that his “hard-working and ‘tireless” LIFE councilors were dragging their feet on the MCH project.
At the time, his barkada was frantically seeking the rejection of the 2025 budget, a situation that prohibited the discussion of any other matter (including MCH) by local government law until the annual budget was passed. It was their second attempt to keep the city government operating on a reenacted budget.
It was also the time when his barkada became wild, rowdy, and disruptive during a regular session, attacking the ruling of VM Bryan Kua as presiding officer. It was their serious misconduct that earned the 60-day suspension for Councilors Red, Alfie and Irene.
It’s time to hear from the three LIFE councilors seeking reelection. It’d be interesting to hear what other lies they have to add to Mr. Lim’s.
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NOT TOOTHLESS? The Comelec office in Dagupan City is so far the only local Comelec office in Pangasinan trying to show that it is not toothless as many have come to believe.
Its report that it will send notices of violations to some seven local candidates in the city can be reassuring. But why no senatorial and party-list candidates that have long been violating its rules since February?
Nonetheless, if there is no noted compliance by local and national candidates on postering rules, it only goes to show what level of respect and their campaign operators these have towards the Comelec.
Then, there’s the committee formed by Comelec to act on reports of vote-buying? Really? If the case of the candidate in Pampanga who’s being disqualified today is the model, that reported incidence of vote-buying was in 2022, or 3 years later! The Comelec action is clearly politically motivated! So, expect disqualification cases in 2028 for vote-buying in 2025!
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SANA ALL! Last Saturday, I had quite a memorable learning and bonding lunch hosted by the now legendary Manay Gina de V in the company of Pangasinan’s notable, distinguished Speaker Joe de V and their son, creative, enterprising Cong. Christopher de V, and close friends among them Nelson Sotto and wife Rosell, loyal staff members of the De Venecia political office and household.
I haven’t had the privilege of being in their company even as a journalist for over a decade now. This time there were no serious thoughts about what ails the province but more about visions and advocacies and personal experiences. No wonder the 4th District under their watch has been making progress far greater than other districts in Pangasinan! Sana all talaga!
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