Danilo Lim

Early life

Danilo Lim was born on June 2, 1955, on Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. The youngest of five brothers, he is of Chinese descent: his roots can be traced to Xiamen, China, formerly Amoy. His father married a girl from Bohol.

He finished elementary and high school in Solano with flying colors. He was in his first year at UP when he took the entrance exams to the Philippine Military Academy. He topped the exams.

Philippine Military Academy

Brigadier General Danilo "Danny" Lim is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Makatarungan Class 1978. He is the mistah of adopted member, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, former President of the Philippines and the former Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, General Delfin N. Bangit, AFP.

While a plebe, he took the entrance exam to the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, one of the world’s premier military academies, because of an outstanding performance as cadet. He topped the exams.

Early career

After graduation, he returned to the country, took the Scout Ranger Course where he graduated No. 1 and led his team in registering the only encounter of the class during their test mission. He opted to be assigned to Jolo after that. He commanded the forward Recon Unit of the 1st Infantry Division (Philippines) in Sulu where he was wounded twice in combat.

Involvement with the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM)

Capt. Danny Lim was recruited into the rightist Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) during the 1980s and was involved in the People Power Revolution, but came into public knowledge during the botched 1989 Coup d'État against the Cory Aquino government. It was then Capt. Danny Lim along with Capt. Abraham Puruganan who led the 1st Scout Ranger Regiment into what has been known as the "Siege of Makati."

Manila Peninsula Incident

On the morning of November 29, 2007, Antonio Trillanes IV, Brigadier General Danilo Lim, Capt. Nicanor Faeldon and other Magdalo officials walked out of their trial and marched through the streets of Makati, calling for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They then had a meeting on the second floor of The Peninsula Manila Hotel along Ayala Avenue. Former vice-president Teofisto Guingona joined the march to the Manila Peninsula Hotel, as well as some soldiers from the AFP.

3 P.M. Deadline

Thirty soldiers who stood on trial for the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny walked out of court and set up a meeting at The Peninsula Manila Hotel, where they called for the ouster of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They had been joined by former vice-president Teofisto Guingona, who called the gathering a "New Edsa".

Arroyo called for an emergency Cabinet meeting as she took a chopper back to the Palace amid tight security. Novaliches Catholic Bishop Antonio Tobias, Infanta Bishop Emeritus Julio Labayen, and Fr. Robert Reyes joined the Antonio Trillanes IV group, while Exec. Sec. Eduardo Ermita and Ignacio Bunye rushed back to Malacañang. PSG sealed off the Palace, while troops secured the north and south Luzon expressways.

A website forthwith appeared, proclaiming General Lim and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV as the leaders of the incident. The website entry read: "Senator Antonio Trillanes, Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, Magdalo soldiers, their guards and the people have started marching towards Makati triangle. We presently find in existence a dangerous concept where the armed forces now owe their primary allegiance and loyalty to those who temporarily exercise the authority of the executive branch of the government rather than to the country and the Constitution they have sworn to protect. That is a concept we defy and struggle to eradicate. If you believe you are a man of will and courage with unselfish motives and brave enough to fight against such tyranny, rise up and be counted!"

The Philippine National Police (PNP) gave Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim until 3 p.m. to surrender, as it evacuated guests and personnel inside the Manila Peninsula Hotel.

The PNP general also ordered later the evacuation of the press in the hotel. Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, stated, "We make this fateful step of removing Mrs. Macapagal-Arroyo from the presidency and undertake the formation of a new government."

Security forces were scheduled the Manila Peninsula in Makati at exactly 3 p.m. to arrest rebel soldiers. Judge Oscar Pimentel, Makati Regional Trial Court, issued the arrest order, and Director Geary Barias, National Capital Region Police Office director, stated: "Arrests will be made at 3 p.m."

After 3 p.m., police director Geary Barias of the National Capital Region Police Office left The Peninsula Manila Hotel, since he was asked to leave by troops supportive of Trillanes. A defiant Antonio Trillanes IV dismissed the PNP 3 p.m. deadline, saying, "Believe me, nothing will happen after three o'clock."

At least 50 Special Weapons and Tactics commandos lined up outside to assault the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati to enforce the arrest of rebel soldiers. Sporadic warning shots were heard from the police outside the hotel, as smoke was seen coming from the hotel seconds after the shots. (4:01 p.m.) The Palace asked reporters to move out of the hotel, as armored personnel carriers arrived. Hundreds of guests scrambled to vacate, and Trillanes said they will 'wait and see'[?] Bishop Julio Labayen appealed: "Please do not storm the place, so nobody gets hurt." (4:37 p.m.)

Firing stopped at 4:30 p.m. GMA crew, and other media personnel were trapped in the hotel, while the Palace appealed to the media and the public to stay away from Makati. Tear gas was fired into the hotel lobby as government troops advanced. Soldiers surrounded the hotel at 5 p.m.).

The armored tank then destroyed the main facade of the Manila Peninsula Hotel to allow the troops to enter.

Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who had just arrived from Guam, stated that he would not head a caretaker government if President Arroyo was removed from power, for he wants to insulate the judiciary from politics. Prominent businessmen denounced Trillanes and Lim.

Temporary liberty

On February 16, 2010, Lim was allowed by a Makati court to post bail on a rebellion charge, along with Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and 16 other soldiers. The bail was set for P200,000 each. The bail was supposed to give them temporary liberty while the case is being heard. However, they cannot leave the prison yet; Armed Forces spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. said: “The group of Senator Trillanes cannot be released until after the military has agreed already, because they are still facing general court martial." Brawner also added: “Under the military law, there is no such thing as bail."

After 4 years in detention, on May 31, 2010, Lim was granted temporary freedom by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which approved his request to be placed under the custody of another military officer. AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Delfin Bangit also approved the grant of temporary liberty to Lim. After proper custodial procedures and medical examination were conducted, the retired Brigadier General was released 5:35 p.m. from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame in Quezon City. Lim, however, still faces a charge of violation of Article 67 (mutiny) of the Articles of War in relation to a supposed plan to grab power last February 2006. His co-accused in the 2006 case include former Marine commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda and former Marine Col. Ariel Querubin. He is also charged with violation of Articles of War 63 (disrespect to the President), 96 (conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman), 97 (conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline), and 70 (escape from confinement). These charges are in connection with the November 2007 Manila Peninsula Incident.

Senatorial race in 2010

On September 20, 2009, Lim declared his intention to run for senator in 2010. He filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator on November 27, 2009. When interviewed by some reporters, the Brigadier General said: "I would like to bring the people's awareness on corruption to a higher level, so that the issue of corruption will not be limited to one branch of the government." He also added: "I have served the military for 36 years and throughout my 36 years of military service, I have been consistent in advocating reforms in the military, but the military career being behind me now, this is now my alternative arena." Under existing laws, all active military and police personnel are forced to resign from the service after filing their respective certificates of candidacy for any elective posts. As a result, Lim had to leave his military position. Lim is not allowed to get out of detention to campaign. He has also been endorsed by Senators Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, Antonio Trillanes IV. Senator Ma. Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal also threw her support behind Lim.

Initially an independent candidate, he later joined the Liberal Party as a guest candidate. The LP is fielding senators Benigno 'Noynoy' Aquino III and Manuel 'Mar' Roxas II. At first, General Lim intended to run under the Magdalo Para Pagbabago, but the Commission on Elections denied the group's accreditation to become a political party.

On December, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualified Lim from the 2010 Senate race, as the poll body does not think Lim has the capacity to run a national elections. A few days later, Lim submitted evidence seeking to reverse the Comelec's decision. LP spokesman Quezon Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III said: "The LP believes that the Comelec will reconsider its previous decision and allow Gen. Danny Lim to run for senator under the LP banner." A month later, the Comelec reinstated Lim as an official candidate for Senator, along with Nicanor Perlas, who was running for president.

However, Lim was not as lucky as Antonio Trillanes in 2007. Several presidential aspirants courted the Magdalo group prior to the official campaign period; the Magdalo also received financial support from some close people in the Philippine Military Academy, the Guardians (a fraternity of soldiers led by Sen. Gregorio Honasan), assorted businessmen, and party-list groups. These efforts were only enough to push Lim to 17th place in the senatorial race with over 6 million votes as of Comelec tallies released on 2 p.m. Tuesday (May 11). On May 11, the former brigadier general conceded defeat, after partial election results by the Comelec showed him far from the top 12 aspirants.