ANALYSIS
By Alejandro Lichauco

02/26/2009

In its issue of Feb. 23, the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) carried a full page statement of 10 military organizations and 30 individual signatories declaring that they have “formally united under the leadership of Brig. Gen. Danilo ‘Danny’ Lim.” They enumerated their reasons for their decision to unite. One is that they “aspire for the collective vision of a country of peace, progress and prosperity;” second, that they are fully aware that the country is “slowly being engulfed by the fires of poverty, war and corruption;” third, that they “concede the need to strengthen our ranks in the face of a ruthless enemy;” and fourth, “that they recognize our people’s longing for change and their desire for a new breed of leader.”

Then the statement proceeds to enumerate the reasons they chose General Lim. One is that “he has the essential leadership qualities to steer us toward our vision; second, that “he has the impeccable character to lead with moral authority; and third, that “he has consistently displayed uncommon valor and patriotism in the face of extremely difficult situation.”

The organizations behind the statement are the Bagong Katipunan the Nationalist Army of the Philippines; Soldiers of the Filipino People; Magdalo; Yes, Arms: YOU; Samahang Magdalo; Reblusionaryong Alyansang Makabayan and Guardians.

The statement carried a photo-sketch of Lim.

Needless to say, the statement was an open declaration presenting an alternative political leadership to the Filipino people. In and by itself it was open challenge to the regime and an answer to those who seek an alternative to this government.

The organizations behind the declaration are familiar enough names long associated with a movement within the military — which actually started way back in 1986 — for fundamental changes in political governance. And the individual signatories, too many to enumerate here for reasons of space constraint, are as prominent as they are familiar in the military.

Without question, the statement is fraught with explosive political significance. Never, to the knowledge of this writer, has a group of well known military figures and military protest organization banded together behind one military figure and proclaimed him as the alternative political leader of their choice. In this they have certainly outdone the political opposition which to this day hasn’t proclaimed their leader of choice.

To say that the statement was an open challenge to the incumbent regime is an understatement. It is actually a statement withdrawing their support to the chain of command and although the individual signatories are retired, the signatory organizations are known to harbor within their ranks elements still on active duty.

In openly rallying behind General Lim, who technically remains in active status, the sponsors of the statement have simultaneously rallied behind the ideology which Lim represents and which he articulated only some months ago in a statement read for him by, if memory serves, Bishop Tobias at a formal press conference. The statement, dated Nov. 16, 2008, was in Lim’s handwriting and titled “Not only to listen but to march.”

The statement was literally a call to arms against the regime. But more than a call to arms, it was a declaration of nationalist aspiration and a call for nationalist political leadership.

In that, the declaration differed radically from other statements issued by protesting military organizations against the government. It was, to be specific, more than the common place denunciation against corruption. It went far beyond the issue of corruption and called for a government that would actively promote the nation’s genuine independence from “colonial economic masters.” More particularly, it called for the abandonment of “obscene foreign debt payment policies.” It also called for a program of industrialization as well as a program of food independence. Above all, Lim called for a policy declaration and economic strategy anchored on what he said the principle that “this country’s patrimony and all of our abundant resources are solely for the Filipinos to develop and benefit from.”

The Lim statement was nothing less than a call for revolutionary nationalism. That is what makes the choice of Lim immeasurably significant. In rallying behind Lim, the statement sponsors were automatically endorsing Lim’s call for revolutionary nationalism. And that, you must admit, is without precedent in the history of the AFP, long reputed to be nothing more but the slavish annex of the Pentagon.

At the very least, the PDI-published declaration of the military opposition puts to shame, and renders irrelevant and even absurd, the political opposition, or whatever passes for a political opposition.

Are we seeing a military-led nationalist revolution?