Another Magdalo officer wants to join Trillanes in Senate

By Charlie C. Lagasca
Philstar.com
January 18, 2009

SOLANO, Philippines - It seems that another Magdalo soldier has been bitten by the political bug.

Detained Army Brigadier Gen. Danilo Lim is reportedly eyeing a seat in the Senate where his colleague, former Marine Lieutenant second grade Antonio Trillanes III, now sits as a senator despite also being under detention at Camp Crame’s custodial center.

Supporters here indicated that Lim, a native of this Ilocano and Gaddang-dominated booming town, is seriously considering running in next year’s election.

Lim, former head of the Army’s 1st Scout Ranger Regiment, and Trillanes are presently detained for their involvement in the Manila Peninsula incident in 2007 to topple the government.

Aside from a seat in the Senate, Lim, known to be charismatic here, is also eyeing the mayoralty post of this province’s premier town in next year’s national and local elections.

Talk of Lim’s political plans started when, besides posters and calendars, his streamers expressing congratulations to the town and barangay fiestas started to surface. Volunteers for Lim said they were also distributing leaflets and membership forms in support of Lim’s possible senatorial or mayoral bid.

DANNY LIM’S NEXT TARGET: NV MAYORSHIP

By Ted Boehnert
18 January 2009
The Daily Tribune

One of the 28 military officers detained in connection with the alleged February 2006 coup against the Arroyo administration is reportedly eyeing a local position in the coming 2010 election.

Supporters of Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim are floating his name as a possible candidate for mayor of Solano in Nueva Vizcaya province after calendars of the former commander of the elite First Scout Range Regiment and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, a former (Marine) Navy lieutenant and colleagues in the Magdalo group who is also detained for leading several coup attempts against the government, started circulating in the town.

Lim and Trillanes also led the Nov. 29 standoff at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in 2007,

According to Lim’s supporter, the general who comes from Solano has reportedly expressed serious interest in running for the mayorship.

Residents of the town affiliated or sympathetic with the Magdalo group said membership forms and other materials were being circulated as a sign of support for Lim’s candidacy.

Aside from being considered for the mayorship, Lim’s name was also being floated as a possible senatorial candidate.

Supporters, however, said that the local positions seems to be more of a priority to Lim.

High school batchmates of Lim, who was salutatorian of St. Louis School Batch 1972 in Nueva Vizcaya, responded positively to the information of his imminent possible candidacy.

Batch valedictorian Marilou Gilo-Abon, president of the Neuva Vizcaya State University, said her noted batchmate was “upright” and “a good friend.”

A graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and Westpoint Lim was born into a poor family in this town and head to work his way through high school until he entered the Academy, always staying at the top of his class.