Now that the battle lines have been drawn, First District Representative Rene Relampagos fires away at Tagbilaran City Mayor Dan Lim, in what could be a telling preview of their one-on-one match in next year's polls.
Relampagos, often at the receiving end of the city mayor's blistering tirades, returned the favor in an interview on Monday over Station dyRD's top-rated "Inyong Alagad".
Mincing no words, the solon said Mayor Lim, who is fond of criticizing senior provincial officials, is doing a "poor job" as city chief executive.
"Tagbilaran has been lagging behind in growth and development for the past eight years of Lim's administration. The mayor does his job through words rather than action," Relampagos stressed.
Relampagos scored the "prevailing ill conditions" of the city – the worst road condition in years, garbage and drainage issues, lack of transparency and the widespread perception of financial mismanagement at City Hall, harassment of businessmen and insensitivity to the constituency.
"He (Mayor Lim) has succeeded in tarnishing the image of Tagbilaran as a 'city of friendship' and as the province's tourism gateway," the solon added.
Reiterating his support to the candidacy of his brother-in-law, Atty. Agustinus "Dodong" Gonzaga for city mayor, Relampagos said Tagbilaran needs a transition leader who possess the "maturity to resuscitate an ailing city".
Relampagos has openly declared his endorsement of Gonzaga and vice mayoralty running mate, Jose Antonio Veloso, saying that the tandem possesses competence, experience and access to the present national leadership.
"What we need is a City Hall that involves the barangays and purok levels in consultative, participative public administration," he added.
"A public mandate is never meant to harass or frustrate because a government can fail when people submit out of fear, in despair," he said.
The solon said many opportunities have been missed by the city government to funnel in much-needed funding for projects since the present city mayor would not cooperate with senior officials, specifically the governor and congressman.
Relampagos said he shares the frustration of not just city residents but also those who are affected by poor governance in the city.
The solon further said the people of Tagbilaran need to capitalize on the fact that the governor and himself as congressman have direct access to Malacañang.
"To be propelled to its deserved development height, the city has to have a credible team of leaders who can effectively work and relate with the governor and congressman on support for needed projects," Relampagos said.
Although Mayor Lim has declared in past media interviews that he is not seeking a higher position in the May 2013 elections, his sorties in the towns of the First District have become more frequent, and his caucuses indicate that he is out to challenge Relampagos for the Congress seat.
Lim has forged a local alliance with Second District Representative Erico Aumentado pushing Carmen Mayor Conchito Delos Reyes as their gubernatorial bet in the coming polls.