Detained general egged to run for office

Written by Zaff Solmerin / Correspondent
MONDAY, 23 FEBRUARY 2009 22:26

UNDERGROUND movements composed of retired and active military officers and soldiers relived the vision and aspirations of their leader, detained Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, by appealing to their fellow military officers and soldiers to join the Filipino people to take the path of change.

Composed of 10 organizations, they claimed they are “officially united under the leadership of Danilo ‘Danny’ Lim” and they strongly believed that he has the qualities of being a leader to “face a ruthless enemy” and steer the country to a “collective vision of a country for peace, progress and prosperity.”

“[Lim] has the essential leadership qualities to steer us toward our vision, has the impeccable character to lead with moral authority, and has consistently displayed uncommon valor and patriotism in the face of extremely difficult situations,” the groups said.

Lim is a 1978 West Point graduate. Both he and President Arroyo are considered honorary members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1978.

Lim was a captain when Mrs. Arroyo assumed the presidency in 2001. She promoted Lim four times in four years and in 2005, Lim was already a star-rank officer way ahead of his contemporaries from the PMA.

Lim was not promoted during the administrations of former Presidents Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Joseph Estrada owing to his alleged involvement in plots to topple the government.

The so-called U-10 includes Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa, Bagong Katipunan, Nationalist Army of the Philippines, Para sa Bayan, Soldiers of the Filipino People, Magdalo, Young Enlisted Soldiers with Active and Retired Military-Police for Solidarity, Young Officers Union, Samahang Magdalo and Guardians.

Apparently, the statement is pushing Lim to run for public office in the 2010 elections.

Although some news reports said Lim is being pushed to run for either mayor in his hometown Solano or governor of Nueva Vizcaya.

Erenesto Macahiya, national president of 1Ganap (Guardians), said they were pushing Lim to run for a Senate seat.

“We support him for a senatorial bid…he is more persistent sa prinsipyo ng reforms more than [former Army colonel-turned-Senator Gregorio] Honasan,” he said.

“We are telling the people that they should consider Danny Lim as an emerging new leader. We intend to nominate him for senator either with the opposition or to run as an independent,” he added.

In a hand-written statement sent to Camp Aguinaldo reporters, Lim said he recognized the collective support and brevity of the U-10.

“I am humbled by this expression of support. Not one to shirk away from challenges and responsibilities. I accept the mantle of leadership bestowed upon me by the collective wisdom of the leaders and followers of the various reformist groups,” he said.

“I will do justice to the trust, and I commit myself to the attainment of our aspiration for a country of peace, progress and prosperity,” he added.

Lim is among 28 military officers facing a court martial for their alleged link to the February 2006 military uprising that allegedly seek to overthrow Mrs. Arroyo from the presidency.

Among military personalities implicated with the alleged coup try were the former Marines commandant, Maj. Gen. Renato Lim, and Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, who are detained at the jail facility inside the Intelligence Service, Armed Forces compound in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

A day before the supposed “march,” where Lim and his supposed supporters were to appear at the Edsa Shrine to declare their withdrawal of support from the Arroyo presidency, they were ordered arrested inside the main building of the Armed Forces General Headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo.

Before the arrest, talks have it that if not for Lim’s refusal to permit a sizable team to storm the main building where the Armed Forces chief of staff holds office the night before February 24 in 2006, Mrs. Arroyo’s presidency could have ended that time.

Another target was the “white house” where the then-Armed Forces chief of staff, Gen. Generoso Senga, resides and where some key military officials had a “lively discussion” whether Mrs. Arroyo should step down. The group was later joined in by Lim and Querubin.

Lim is currently detained together with Magdalo leader former Navy lieutenant senior grade-turned-politician Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV at the Custodial Center of the National Police in Camp Crame.

Both were facing rebellion charges filed before the Regional Trial Court in Makati for their alleged participation in the November 2007 standoff at the Peninsula Manila Hotel in Makati City.

Lim’s charisma among retired military officers and soldiers, including active ones who were members of the U-10, was very strong, as several banners containing Lim’s portrait were very conspicuous along the national highway from Tarlac going to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City, where the cavaliers’ alumni homecoming was held on February 22.

Despite the U-10’s statement of support for Lim, the leadership of the Armed Forces remained unfazed and did not see the group’s united stand as a threat to national security.

“These things that come out will not threaten our national security. It would not endanger national security,” Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres Jr., Armed Forces chief information officer, said.

“I do not see any problem with their move, which I think is an expression of their general aspirations,” he added.

Torres also believed the U-10’s “ruthless enemy” that they were referring to was “economic poverty” that the Filipino people were currently suffering.

“I would like to assume that they are referring to the poverty the country is experiencing,” he said, adding the paid ad was meant to gain media exposure to entice the people to support Lim. He admitted, though, that the statement released by the U-10 would have to be reassessed by the military leadership.

Meanwhile, retired Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Dominguez clarified his participation in the published statement of the U-10 as his name and his signature appeared in the advertisement.

“I’m just supporting [the vision and aspirations] of Lim….I feel that if he wants to explore the realm of politics, I think he deserves it,” said Dominguez, adding he would not support any move to overthrow a government.

This only shows, explained Dominguez, that his signature that appears in the statement doesn’t mean he was advocating destabilization move.

“I am not a destabilizer, I was never involved in a plot before. That’s why in the statement, I have no affiliation to which of the groups,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez resigned as Nolcomchief and opted for an early retirement after being “by passed” or “delisted” from the lineup of candidates for Armed Forces chief of staff.

Macahiya also joined the sentiment of Dominguez.

“We are not for the overthrow [of Mrs. Arroyo]. We are united on our call for reform. We feel that the embodiment of a leader guided by the principles of reform like in the person of Lim despite the fact that he is a military man, by the fact that he is incarcerated, he is a man for peace and have a sense of identification,” he said.