Air Force Col. Antonio Ramon “Sonny” Lim couldn’t hold back his tears when he testified at the hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee investigating the controversial plea bargain agreement of the Ombudsman with the retired Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia.
He said in Pilipino that ever since the news about the corruption in the military broke out, he had been thinking of coming out with what he knew and decided that under Aquino’s reformist administration, “Panahon na na malaman ng sambayanang Pilipino ang katotohanan. (It’s time that people know the truth)”
Lim was the assistant of retired Lt. Col. George Rabusa, former budget officer, who had earlier spilled the beans on three AFP chiefs of staff – Angelo Reyes, Diomedio Villanueva, and Roy Cimatu – getting bienvenida and despedida money ranging from P50 million to as high as P150 million and monthly allowances of P10 million.
Lim is still in the service and it is to the credit of this administration that members of the military are allowed to testify before congressional investigations unlike under the Arroyo administration when a number of officers were subjected to court martial proceedings for appearing before the Senate during investigations of the “Hello Garci” scandal where the military was embroiled in massive cheating in the 2004 elections. Remember Brig. Gen. Francisco Gudani, Col. Alex Balutan and Sgt Vidal Doble?
There was the egregious E.O 464 that prevented cabinet members, police and military generals, senior national security officials, and “such other officers as may be determined by the President” to attend congressional hearings unless the President gives permission to those who will attend the said proceedings.” Of course, Arroyo didn’t allow them or else the truth of her grand theft of the election and many more would have been exposed.
Up to this day, the public does not know the truth about the full extent of the military’s role in tampering of election results of the 2004 elections. Former Philippine Navy Flag Officer in command Mateo Mayuga has said he will bring to his grave the complete results of his investigation of that subversion of the people’s will.
In contrast today, AFP Chief Ricardo David, who is present in all congressional hearings said they are supporting any member of the military who are willing to testify about corruption in the military.
What we are seeing now in the congressional hearings on the Garcia plea bargain agreement is the glaring difference between the presidency of Benigno Aquino III and Gloria Arroyo. That is freedom of expression.That is transparency.
It was touching seeing Lim, teary-eyed, reiterating his fear for the safety for his family now that he has decided to tell the truth which could put some people in trouble.
Lim said he has nine more years left in the service and he wants to continue to be in the service.”Gusto ko pa po maging sundalo. Gusto ko po makatapos maging sundalo. Gusto ko pa makaserbisyo ng aking bayan ng Pilipinas. Ako ay nakakakita ng pagkataoon.Matagal ko ng kinikimkim sa dibdib ko nang mga panahon na yun. Ito ay parang pabigat sa aking konsyensya.(I still want to be a soldier. I want to complete my career in the military. I still want to serve my country.I have been keeping this to myself. This is a burden to my conscience.)”
Lim said he has applied to be under the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice.
During last Thursdays hearing, Lim corroborated Rabusa’s revelation and said that he was the one who packed the millions of pesos that they withdrew from Security Bank and delivered to the comptroller supposedly to be given to the AFP chief. In one or two occasions, he went with Rabusa in the delivery of the money.
I didn’t easily recognize Lim until Sen. Gringo Honasan’s media officer Peachy Urquiola recalled to me that he was the aide of then Press Secretary Jesus Sison when we were covering the Malacañang beat. Then I remembered “Sonny”. He was a captain then.
Lim belongs to PMA Class 1986, an “officer of good standing”, according to Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto Okol. ““He is a seasoned pilot, instructor pilot,” Okol added.
After his Malacanang stint, he was assigned at the Air Force headquarters at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City in various positions before being assigned to the office of the AFP deputy chief of staff for logistics from 1999-2004. There, he met Rabusa.
Lim had served with the 532nd Aerodrome Operations Squadron and took up the Command and General Staff Course and as commander of the Tactical Operations Group IX in Sulu. He is currently assigned as the Director for Operations of the PAF’s 3rd Air Division stationed in Zamboanga City.
It is good to know that there are still honorable officers in the military like Col. Lim. I imagine that there are many of them out there and examples being set by officers like Col Lim serve as their guide and inspiration when confronted with situations that put their principles and integrity to a test.
***
The title of this column was suggested to me by my friend Sol Vanzi. There are actually two songs with the same title but I like this one by the Lost Dogs.
I always thought I was the strong one
who had the faith when you had doubt
I was the one to hide my feelings,
you were the one to let them out
My daddy taught me, “Son,
be tough and strong,”
and that’s what I’ve tried to do
But now you’re telling me girl
you can’t live like this,
that you might be leavin’ soon
Do real men cry?
I never thought it was true,
maybe I could tough this one out
Be strong enough to make it through,
(but now) there’s tears in the eyes
of this stubborn fool,
Do real men cry?
Well, baby, now you know,
that real men do.
Assumed you knew that I would love you,
and be your rock through thick and thin
I’ve always been a man of few words,
when what you needed was a friend
I thought that if I stood tall just like a wall,
it would all be good enough,
Please let me hold you now
and promise you girl,
that I’m through with acting tough.
Our society taught us that for men to be brave, they must not cry,else he’d be tagged as a wimp. It’s a pent-up emotion. Being an insider, that first hand knowledge built all the stress and frustrations to a truly dysfunctional system. When that tears fall from a man’s face, it’s special. That bottled-up emotion is real. I believe in him.
Saludo ako sa ginawa niya. Delikado pero napanindigan niya. Mabigyan sana siya ng sapat na proteksyon.
When Jun Lozada cried on national TV, people were touched and might even cried. The media had a feast day covering the very emotional ZTE witness. But where is Jun now? What happened to him? Does one media reporter even bother to check on him and give him a brief interview today? Nah.
May mga lalaki din iyakin o mababaw ang luha. May mga walanghiya at may pusong bato din tulad ng kriminal na si Ampatuan na nakangiti pa sa korte.
When I saw Col. Lim cried on TV, I knew it was genuine coming from his heart. Compare him to Gen. Reyes na palaban pa kahit bistado na.
Yes, brave men do cry. And when they cry, the world cry with them. But is that all? We must make sure that their tears do not go in vain.
But where is Jun now? What happened to him? Does one media reporter even bother to check on him and give him a brief interview today? Nah.-truthseeker
Just wait.
truthseeker,hindi yata bagay ang pangalan mo sa iyo.
Bakit po nasabi mong di bagay ang pangalan ko? In the case of Jun Lozada, I’m still seeking for the truth about the ZTE deal. Truth is when justice is served and the culprits jailed. Thanks for the response, Ellen.
About Jun Lozada…maghihintay kami Ellen. Thanks truthseeker for bringing that up.
You’re welcome, baguneta. Para sa akin, malaki ang similarity ng dalawang whistle blower na sina Lozada at Rabasa. Last time I heard, umalis na si Lozada sa mga madre. Won’t his life be in danger? Is he still under the Witness Protection Program. Is the Senate still helping him. These are the questions that came into my mind when this Rabusa expose began. Kasi, baka naman maging another Lozada itong si Rabusa. Puro ingay lang sa umpisa. Anong pagkaiba ng mga pulitiko ngayon sa nakaraan?
Iba ang panahon nuon at ngayon. Midget had protected those who knew the crimes by her EOs preventing these whistleblowers from testifying. She too had kept her tongressmen happy by bringing them all over the world whenever she travelled( maybe bringing $ 10 K each to be laundered) and whenever she wanted to pass something or prevent her impeachment, she paid BIG for the votes!
Now, the Chief of Staff, under oath promised to protect the whistleblowers in the AFP and further encouraged these officers to come out and expose the corruption!
But, since the events started during Reyeses’ time or even before, with the Garcia expose, those J1s to J11s who were then in the power to clean up the paper trail may have already done so. Sana, yung mga may kaalaman na katulad nila Rabusa, Heidi Mendoza at Col Sonny Lim ay nagtago ng mga prueba ng corruption. It has been a while, nakalimot na at marahil nanakaw na rin ang mga documents ng mga kababalaghan nila.
SNV, may statute of limitation ba ang pagnanakaw? Or pwede pang sampahan ng kaso ang mga magnanakaw kahit kelan as long as there are witnesses? Kahit na wala ng paper trail?
Today, Monday in Manila, the senate hearing will resume. I will watch it again from beginning to end.
Ellen, on Jun Lozada and the rest of the whistle blowers, I know that once the connection to then bansot is established in even just one crime, sunod sunod na yan! This looting of the AFP funds may be connected to the billions the AFP generals themselves used in ousting Erap and in the midgets fraudulent win in 2004 where allegedly, the generals themselves were involved. Remember the Mayuga report where all of these involved generals were protected?
I wish, the US and EU and the leaders in the countries where the bansot depositted her billions will provide the Philippines (even just secretly) the looted assets of the midget and her cronies. Pwede naman ito eh. World bank did it in the case of the contractors who were corrupt even implicating the fatso as the leader of the corruption ring. Sana din meron mga Filipino o dayuhan na nasa Delaware who will expose the incorporation papers of the midget’s and her cronies’ holdings in the US.
If funds were used by AFP to oust Erap, then there was nothing much we could do. Erap is history. He could have easily reclaimed his presidency had he won last election.
Reyes was rewarded more than he expected for turning against his commander-in-chief. Since GMA became President, Reyes was given several juicy positions. If that was not enough evidence to link between the two to conspiracy, I don’t know what to say.
We should move forward. Hindi naman huli ang lahat. Nandiyan pa rin ang mga demonyo na nagpahirap sa bayan. Halimbawa, ano ang ginagawa natin kay Esperon? Kung anong atake ang ginawa natin sa kanya noon, ganoon naman katahimik ngayon. Ang I’m also calling the attention of the media. Hindi niyo na ba babanggitin ang pangalan ni Esperon?
Re No. 3: Si Jun Lozada kasi overexposed sa media, naumay o nagsawa ang mga tao. Sa mga wistleblowers dapat hinay hinay, kung walang bagong sasabihin, wag na lang harap ng harap sa media dahil ang paulit ulit na sinasabi ay lalong nawawalan ng namnam.
Perhaps Jun Lozada prefers to be out of the limelight now and is trying to … reclaim his old life. But methinks he knows a thing or two about corruption in the military considering his old job.
We have the misconception that crying is weakness.
But to me it shows sensitivity.
Rather than detract from their masculinity, I find men who cry attractive.
We admire and pray for you, Col Sonny Lim.
These men have all the rasons to be worried, what they are doing was unthinkable before, some officers still disagree with them even as we blog.
Aquino is taking a really big risk here, its either he has enough firepower to take on the military institution by the horns or he just doesn’t know what he’s up against.
Nevertheless, I’m really waiting to see Esperon and Senga in the crosshairs.
Rather than detract from their masculinity, I find men who cry attractive. – Becky
Huhuhu (hikbi) huhuhu (singhot).
But where is Jun now? What happened to him? – truthseeker
Easy lang, last week, ang nagtestify sa NBN-ZTE hearing ni Neri ay si Joey DV3. Nahe-hearing pa rin yung kay Abalos. Huwag ninyo muna sisihin ang media, ni hindi pa nga kinakasuhan ni De Lima yung principal e. Pag naghearing na yung tungkol sa attempted kidnap/salvage ni Lozada, bida uli yan.
Wait for Jun’s time. Better yet magbasa muna ng diyaryo. O pumunta sa La Salle/AMRSP. Konting sariling sikap din. Hindi kayang i-cover ng blog ni Ellen lahat ng issues na gusto ninyo.
Yan ang tunay na truth-seeking.
Balik sa uniformed men, eto na, nagkakabukingan na, pati si Gen. Rosales at yung dating head ng defunct TMG ng PNP ay pinangalanang coddler ng Dominguez Carnapping Syndicate. Galing sa military intelligence ang info.
Siyempre pa, deny to death ang dalawa, sabay ibubulgar DAW ang tunay na protector na kamaganak ng high-ranking gov’t official nung nakaraang administrasyon.
Alalay lang (pero ituloy), nabubulunan na ako. Talamak na talaga, sobra.
jun lozada is okay, i had the good fortune of bumping into him last year…exactly where, i will not tell… 🙂 hehehe
i’m not so comfortable though with all this “bayad muna” este bayan muna, leftist, aggressive, incursions, into these military issues. they should first anwer why they are tolerating collection of revolutionary taxes and safe conduct passes of their comrades…tumahimik na lang muna kaya ang mga to, napalabas na nga ang moron este morong 43…
In contrast, ang mukha ni Gen.Garcia parang kamukha ni Mayor Sanchez dati sa Calauan, Laguna – ‘yong rapist ng UPLB student.
Sa aking pananaw, ang mga nag-papa-totoo, may-konsyensa, nag-papaka-baba, may kalinisang pangtao-kaluluwa,tunay na may-pagmamahal sa kanyang pamilya-asawa’t-anak, propesyon, at sa Bayan-bilang patriotiko, ay lagi ng may-pag-Luha. Katulad din ito sa isang taim-tim na taong, humihingi ng liwanag-saklolo sa loob ng simbahan, nag-darasl sa Poong Maykapal o Diyos..Ang mga nabangit na Nag-papatotoo,Col(s)Rabusa, Sonny Lim, etc..ay katulad din sila nagdaral, sa
harap ng Katutuhanan-Diyos, ng Sambayanag Pilipino, sa buong mundo, sa Senado-mga mambabatas..SINO ang di maluluha ?..at Sino Sila-ako ?, ang buhay ay Hiram lamang na dapat Linisin !…Ngayon, sa mga mandarambung, na alam-na-alam sa buong mundo, ngunit dahil sa mga “mambubutas” este mambabatas, dahil ” butas na nga sila ” sa mga paraang palusot, may-Luha pa kayang tutulo sa kanilang mga mata ?..
In my own opinion, lumalabas lang naman ang mga whistleblower pag napabayaan na sila ng kanilang mga handlers. meaning wala ng support financially. I hope and pray na MALI ako kina Col. Rabusa and Col. Lim.
It is always the pattern that if worse could happen it is always the smaller fishes that end up in the dinner table, as the Sacrificial offerings. This time the pattern may change as they realized that if they go out and pre-empt the norm by trying to “save” themselves for the greater evils that it will work. And the observers and d public were mermerized by their heroics and they suddenly changed d outlooks of looking at the same outlaws as heroes. The modern day heroes. Very worthy for the youths to emulate … Indeed.
The following is premature and assuming:
“What we are seeing now in the congressional hearings on the Garcia plea bargain agreement is the glaring difference between the presidency of Benigno Aquino III and Gloria Arroyo. That is freedom of expression.That is transparency.”
Actually, wala pang kurakot na nakukulong. Sa katunayan, sa ilalim ni PeNoy, marami pang kurakot ang nasa puwesto at ilan pa diyan, tulad ni Puno, Versoza, Cimatu, Berto R, Merceditas at iba pa, ang may tsapa na parang kurap na pulis at untouchable.
Be real!
I said what we are seeing is exercise of freedom of expression and transparency. What’s premature about that? We are witnessing it now.
Now, will it result in conviction? I did not say it has resulted in conviction. I did not say that the kurakots have been eliminated.
Reply to No. 18: Thanks for your reminder and what you pointed out. But I was referring to the media in general and did not single out any reporter; much more Ellen who I think is one of the bravest journalists we have today.
Media is also business. Reporters look for scoop on a daily basis. When the issue is very hot, everyone focus on it. After a while, the interest dies down. It’s simply supply and demand in economics. If there’s big demand to continue reporting the issue, the journalists satisfy people’s demand by writing on the issue more often than the others. Iyon kay Jun Lozada kasi matagal na iyon. Baka nga nagsawa na ang mga tao. Even in litigation, lawyers of defendants use the delaying tactic most often aided by money to let the complainants lose interest.
Isang halimbawa na lang, kasing init ba ang Ampatuan case sa expose ni Rabusa ngayon? Kahit kay Webb, tapos na ang palabas. Pati nga ang Dominguez car-slay case medyo natatakpan. Ganyan ang buhay ng media. If there are no journalists willing to follow up cases, mawawala din unti-unti.
I think some people need to improve on their reading comprehension skills.
There is another guy who pretty much has the same observation.
http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20110207-318898/Support
#26
You talk about glaring differences. What glaring differences? Look, PeNoy really has nothing to do with the Congressional hearings. And, those who are involved in the kurakot as exposed by Rabusa are still in the service of PeNoy.
Noong panahon ni Gloria, marami din ng hearing-hearing. Ganyan din kay PeNoy, may mga hearing. May exec order si Gloria, may legal team si PeNoy.
And how about transparency? What happened to Puno, Lim and Versoza who are under PeNoy’s protection? Nasaan na ang bf ni PeNoy na si Puno? Di ba may accountability siya sa ‘terrorist incident kamakailan lang?
Ang layong mintiss, tinamaan na?
President Noynoy still has lots to learn. What do you expect from someone who got elected mainly on the popularity of his late parents? By the way, tahimik yata si Manny Villar after the election. Nagtratrabaho ba siya sa Senado? O baka naman naghahanda na naman sa 2016 election. What about his C-5 Road extension scam? Burado na ba? That’s what I’m saying. Regardless what administration we’re in, it’s all the same…expose, hearing, investigation, then nothing is heard of anymore.
sa mga corruption issues ma nangyari sa panahon ni GMA nasan si VP kabayan NOLI DE CASTRO? di ba dapat siya ang naguulat sa atin kung ano ang mga nangyayari noon. naging silent si VP…. siguro pati sya may ginagawang kalokohan nung nasa pwesto.
Ano nga kaya yung sa C-5 ni Villar, paninira lang ba iyon sa panahon ng halalan o is it a fact? Pero si Lacson ang nagbulgar nito eh (mala-totoo ito), ibig ba sabihin hindi kaya banggain ni Presidente Noynoy si Villar kahit na lintik na pang-aalipusta ang ginawa ng kampo nito sa kanya.
Some Senators and lawmakers don’t want Ping Lacson back at the Senate. Takot sila na baka ano na naman pasabugin. Who knows, Villar and his allies are blocking his return. Sayang din si Jamby Madrigal since she and Lacson were good partners in scandal exposes.
Malakas ang nasa likod ni Villar. Siya mismo ay malakas na at maraming pera. Isa sa likod niya ay si Bro. Mike Velarde. Puwede din si Kabayan Noli. Tuwing pinapanood ko ang TV Patrol, hindi si Noli ang nagbabalita tungkol sa mga scandals na maaari siyang masangkot. Kadalasan ipinapasa na lang kina Ted Failon at Korina ang interview. Malambot ang ABS-CBN kapag tauhan nila ang sangkot. Halimbawa, si Pinky sa Webb case at si Failon noon sa suicide kuno ng kanyang asawa.
I mentioned that many past serious cases are not being followed up by the media. I can cite another example: The Pag-ibig Loan mess involving Delfin Lee and of course Kabayan Noli. May naririnig ba tayo diyan uli ngayon?
re C5 ni villar, tapos na yung senate etchis sa senado.. nagkabotohan na mga senador di ba? at inabswelto nila si Villar… tungkol naman sa aksyon ng bagong admin sa kasong ito… nakapila yan sa mga issue na iimbestigahan sana ng TC… so may plano ang gobyerno ni PNoy dyan…
Tuwing pinapanood ko ang TV Patrol, hindi si Noli ang nagbabalita tungkol sa mga scandals na maaari siyang masangkot. Kadalasan ipinapasa na lang kina Ted Failon at Korina ang interview. Malambot ang ABS-CBN kapag tauhan nila ang sangkot. Halimbawa, si Pinky sa Webb case at si Failon noon sa suicide kuno ng kanyang asawa. -TS
hindi ako nanood sa TV Patrol o lahat ng programa ng abs-cbn dahil sa napapansin kong hindi nila balanseng pamamahayag… pero tungkol dyan sa complaint mo… tama lang na gawin yan ng abs-cbn… masagwang tignan di ba kung involve ka sa issue.. tapos ikaw magrereport? walang iniwan yan paginhibit ng mga senador/kongressman sa congressional hearing. o judges sa paglilitis…
#29, Is the glass half empty or half full?
depende sa tumitingin yan?
kung ako tatanunigin mo, more than half full 🙂
Ellen is right.
Anyway, the country has a long way to go yet. Jail one, just one of these goddamn crooks and we would have gone a long, long way!
Si dating First Lady Imelda Marcos ay sapatos lang ang kinolekta … ngayon yang mga tangnang asawa ng isang General mga bahay sa Amerika ang kinokolekta. Ano ba yan!!!!
Dapat lang siguro na bitayin ang mag-aasawang mga mandurugas. Bitayin sila ng patiwarik.
🙂 🙂 🙂
Anna,
Who said Ellen said kurakots have been eliminated?
Ellen,
Sino ang nagsabi na sinabi mo na na-eliminate na ang mga kurakot?
News ……. Patay na daw si Angelo Reyes.
Nagpakamatay daw …..
Great scoop, Tedanz.
so what if a man cries…Jesus wept didn’t he?
nabasa ko nga na nagpakamatay si Angelo Reyes…hindi pala niya kaya ang pahiya publicky…why then did he do what he did..ano kaya ang pakiramdam ng asawa niya?
corr: hindi pala niya makaya ang mapahiya publicly..kawawa naman ang dalawang anak niya…
Wala nang paraan para ipagtanggol ni Reyes ang sarili niya. Baka ang advice ng abogado niya buti pa magpakamatay na lang siya.
does the death of Angelo Reyes mean the end of the investigation? I hope not for it would mean we will never know the truth..and there will be no justice..I just wonder, ano kaya ang pakiramdam ni putot on Reyes’ death?
happy?
Rose,
I hope not too… On the contrary, must continue with investigation. Nation’s authorities must do what is right — investigate and convict the thieves.
The investigation would continue but it won’t be as dramatic. Senators would be softer. And it would continue at a later date. In the meantime, the media is waiting for the next scoop.
ang tanong ko..upunta kaya si putot sa libing ni Reyes..at magbibigay kaya siya ng eulogy? at masabi kaya niya “Ako ang may sala…ako ang Simula ng lahat na ito:…Dahil sa Akin nangyari ito..mabigat talaga ang carga de consenya niya…but come to think of it wala pala siyang conscience and I would not be surprised kung masabi niya…Luci made me do it…This maybe a short moment…but I feel sorry for her…
Men who cry are attractive? Even thieves?
🙂 🙂 🙂
If FG Mike Pidal cries, he would be the most attractive.