Lawyer fears for his life, flees Cebu

A lawyer reported to the police that some people were out to kill him and his client.

Saying he feared for his life, Salvador Solima left Cebu after reporting the threat to the homicide section of the Cebu City Police Office.

Solima, who ran but lost in the 2010 Cebu City mayoralty race, said the threat stemmed from a dispute over property worth millions of pesos contested by his client and a businessman.

Solima tagged the businessman as the one behind the threats.

In a phone interview, Solima said his client Maria Gloria Paz-Lim was also a target of the threat.

Solima said the businessman tried to sell properties in barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City, a transaction that was blocked by his client.

Solima said Paz-Lim was appointed by her deceased husband as the administrator of Glory Commercial, a building on Mabini Street, Cebu City.

Solima said Paz-Lim’s husband, Henry, had executed a will appointing his wife as administrator of the building.

The lawyer said Henry was the son of Antonio Lim Tan Ho, the original owner of the property while the businessman is a son of a former friend of Henry’s father.

Solima said the businessman claimed he was the vice president of Glory Commercial.

As the vice president, the businessman tried to sell the properties.

When Gloria blocked the sale, the businessman complained that the will was fake, said Solima.

Solima said the will was validated by the court.

Solima said he and his client received threats following the conflict.

Solima said Maria Gloria called last Wednesday night that there were suspicious people who claimed they wanted to rent a place in the building and were looking for them.

Solima said he also learned from another source that there were people who were hired to kill him and his client.

Solima said despite the threat, he did not request for a police escort and that he has no plans of filing a case against the businessman.