State of the Nation Honor Roll 2009
A year from today, Malacañang Palace will be under new management, and a strange new chapter in our history will begin. This year’s unsung heroes come from all branches of government, including Congress and the Military; and from the media and private sector. But what draws them together here is a common goal that appears to be genuine and reachable: a better country for all Filipinos. From the Makati Business Club to Maria Ressa to Danny Lim, ROGUE photographs 20 human forces who may just make a difference this year
The Mutineer
Danilo Lim, Brigadier General
Photographed by Steve Tirona at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on April 24, 2009
Brigadier General Danilo Lim is in jail. He’s in jail because he has been accused of trying to overthrow President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2006. He saw the corruption, the cheating, the betrayal. He saw how Congress would not hold her accountable. He saw how the courts would not hold her culpable. He saw how the leadership of the Armed Forces and the much-too-comfortable middleclass had been co-opted. So he did something ninety-nine percent of us would not do. He took matters into his own hands. And he failed. When the shit hit the fan, everyone scurried back to their hiding places and pretended they had nothing to do with it . . . whatever it was. Some threw themselves at the mercy of the regime and begged for forgiveness. Lim and a few others—like Miranda, Trillanes, and Querubin—were left holding the bag. Lim didn’t scurry, pretend, or beg; he just took his punishment like a man. You don’t have to agree with his actions to understand the nobility of standing by them in the face of dire consequences. It’s easy to be heroic when you know you will succeed: had Lim succeeded, you can be sure that everyone now washing their hands off the 1978 West Point graduate—or denouncing him—would be kissing his ass the same way they’re doing it to the last set of successful coup plotters. But when defeat is staring you in the eye and you’re living with its consequences everyday, it takes man-sized balls to stick to your guns. Agree with him or not, give that to Lim.
By Ricky Carandang
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Nationalism does not have anything to do with social class. In fact, it is the social class that gives a noble impact to nationalism.
For those among us who belong to the lower social class, we are already barely providing for the survival of our family. If we still opted to join the resistance against the aggressors we definitely have more to lose.
For those among us who belong to the upper class, we do not lose anything personally if we just cooperate with the aggressors of our nation. But if we opted to be involved with the resistance, we definitely have lost our comforts and security.
It is the well being of the nation more than self, that nationalism provides the framework and energy for the nation to develop towards a healthy responsiveness towards it’s people as well as towards the community of nations.
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Who appointed Melo to the Comelec? The “garcified” president who feels so much pain from Danny Lim as a big thorn in the neck for putting into action his dissent on corruption and decadence. The thorned bird should know that Danny is a sure senatorial win. Saying that he has no capaciity to run for the senate is for kindergarten children. Melo and her matron should know that, besides being in LP’s and UNO’s senatorial slates, the members of the most ancient fraternity in the world take Danny as a true and worthy brother for them to help in pushing him to the senate, and they are scattered from Jolo up to Aparri. Danny has also the Solid North to support him. He has also the members of the AFP and their families and friends, including the RAM, Samahang Magdalo, Guardian Brotherhood and the like groups to do the same, just like groups of urban poor and Kapima of the youth. And lately, the president and project director, a forefront member of a prominent and respectable Muslim clan, of a large Mindanao minority group has conveyed their group’s inclusion of Danny as among its few choices to push to the senate. And there is the multitude of Tsinoy voters who don’t sell their right of suffrage, and they are for Danny, being a Tsino mestizo like myself. I hope that this marshmallow attempt to discredit our number one senatorial candidate would be worked out soonest by lawyers at his end for Comelec to come to its senses.
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BGen Danny Lim, a Widow’s Son, is our foremost candidate for the Senate. He is a man of intellect, morale rectitude and courage to act for what is true, just and right. Our country needs him for a true change, to end the reign of corruption and decadence.
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Let the devil little woman and fat man do what they so want to escape from getting held accountable for the evil deeds they have done to our country. We will march in the street for our oppressed and persecuted upright and fighting candidates like BGen Danilo Lim. Let blood deluge the streets. Enough is enough! These physsically odd couple and their ilks should be lynched!
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Who is not afraid of the man who at his behest joined the most elite unit in the Armed Forces of the Philippines which is the PA’s Scout Ranger after graduating from the world’s best Military Academy ,(USMA)in West Point, NY, USA and an Honorary alumnus of the premier Military Academy in the country, (PMA)? He earned the Gold Cross Medal and several combat awards for his temerity in the face of the enemy in the field. His idealism and patriotism was never questioned even by the left leaning group or even by the adherents of the “left” or “left of center” in political science parlance to speak of due to his traits and fair play in treating the enemies of the State if we will treat them as enemies in our perspective.
It is not the question of the man’s ability to raise funds or money to run his machinery to run in an election nationwide but his knowledge and experience to assist his nation to propel to a better nation in the future by introducing his vast knowledge, experience and wisdom to assist his country develop as a nation to be respected by all nations.
If the Golden Rule to elect an aspirant in the Senate is money then we will be led by the rich and the extravagant men and women where no poor man can help shape the country to its oblivion. If a General Officer in the AFP/PNP has no spiraling cash to spend , then the rest in the Senate must be only moneyed people who doesn’t belong to the great majority of our population? Sen. Trillanes was voted by about 8M OF THE VOTERS EVEN WITH OUT MONEY AND HELD IN PRISON.
Where now is the Constitutional and universal rule of equality of men in the PLACE WHERE WE ALL BELONG?
God help us and Mr. Melo must look back in the past…My regards to all… -
COMELEC has regained its senses when the motion for reconsideration for the inclusion of Gen. Lim as senatorial candidate was granted. i like it, people love it. It’s a sign that he will be elected this coming may 10 elections. No doubt about it. Tenant in Malacanang must be trembling her ass right now.
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Let us all give a helping hand in campaigning for Gen. Danilo Lim. A lot of people still don’t know that he is running for senator. The disqualification efforts certainly did not help.
I would rather vote for a Gen. Lim who will be indebted to those who voted for him than to candidate indebted to those who provided the guns(or backhoes?), goons and gold.
Gen Lim is not a mutineer. Who is the lawful authority he rebelled against?
There are just as proportionately many co-opters of the GMA institutionalized looting in the lower class and the upper class as in the middle class.
Gen Lim did not take matters into his own hands. He took the matter of military duty and tradition seriously. He tried to arrest the perpetration of handing over to the foreigners our agricultural lands, economic bases, our territories and many more of our assets. These are acts of treason. What should a soldier do when his compatriot is commiting acts of treason? Ricky has already published in his site the act of treason of GMA.
Our national security, sovereignty and integrity is already in jeopardy. Why should we disagree with the arresting of the perpetration of an act of treason?
But I thank Ricky for his praise for Gen Lim.