Alfredo Lim Is Not A Real EDSA1 Hero

Alfredo Lim has been erroneously receiving accolades and admiration for the role he played during the famed EDSA 1. The mayor of Manila, who is in the hunt for reelection, has been making false claims and fake representations to boost his image as a real EDSA 1 hero. Mayor Lim has been successful in doing so as evident in the current status of his political career. However, as he succeeds in building up his reputation, he also continues to make misrepresentation of the facts.

Recorded events of old Manila watch will enlighten us with the truth about Alfredo Lim.The mayor of Manila has been building up his image for political purposes at the expense of another great unknown EDSA hero in Col. Jose H. Dawis.Dawis served as the Chief of Police of Quezon City during EDSA 1 under the leadership of the then General Lim. Dawis knew very well how the former general acted during the height of EDSA1. However, his account of Lim's participation in EDSA1 is still untold and misrepresented.

Colonel Dawis knew very well how General Lim acted like a coward during the height of demonstrations and protests.As Commanding General, Lim was not brave enough to confront the angry demonstrators and was cowardly hiding in small Antique shop in P. Tuazon the whole time laden with fear. He was so reluctant and afraid that he passed on the burden of controlling the crowd in EDSA to his personnel. Dawis was ordered by General Lim to disperse the crowd in EDSA at all cost upon the order of order of then President Ferdinand Marcos.

Colonel Dawis during that time only had a handful of 100 people under his command when he was ordered by General Lim to disperse the crowd of more than 100,000 in EDSA. To help Colonel Dawis' in his job, General Lim has promised him with additional 500 military men to help him in the dispersion of the crowd in EDSA.But Colonel Dawis was disobedient.The brave Colonel defied Gen. Lim's orders and told him that he will not disperse the crowd who were just expressing their grievances peacefully.

The insubordination of Colonel Dawis has made General Lim enraged and fuming.He was completely mad with how Colonel Dawis responded and defied his orders. As a response, General Lim started to speak angrily to Colonel Dawis who remained unfazed.Colonel Dawis stuck to his principles and did not follow the orders of his superior officer despite the threats of losing his job.

Former Senator Butch Aquino can confirm this claim since he and Colonel Dawis had developed a very good relationship. Colonel Dawis was very sympathetic and helpful to the opposition leaders and would allow them to protest peacefully in Quezon City.

This is a clear sign that the accolades and admiration that Alfredo Lim enjoys should not be extended to him. Lim should not be bestowed with the recognition as one of the many real heroes of EDSA1 for the fact that he was never one.Lim is misleading the public into believing his frivolous claims and misrepresentations of facts at the expense of another great and worthy hero. Colonel Dawis is the real EDSA1 hero and should be endowed with the necessary accolades and recognition, and not the person who desperately tries to build his self a reputation using nothing but lies.

The mayor of Manila, who is seeking reelection, has been making frivolous claims and false representation to bolster his image as a real EDSA one hero. Mayor Alfredo Lim has in many ways succeeded in doing so as evident in the current status of his political career. On the contrary, Lim is using his frivolous claims and misrepresentations of facts at the expense of another great and worthy hero, Colonel Dawis.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim Is Charged With Graft For Sale Of Century Park Hotel

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno is charged with graft before the Office of the Ombudsman for facilitating the fraudulent bidding and sale of the Century Park Hotel at a bargain price of P 1 Billion.Lim and Moreno alongside 20 councilors, four other city officials and four John Does are the people involved in a 26-page complaint filed by former legal adviser of Lim and close friend Atty. Reynaldo L. Bagatsing. The complaint is calling for the immediate nullification of the said anomalous transaction and the appropriate punishment for the perpetrators involved.

Bagatsing has pointed out that the transaction is manifestly and grossly disadvantageous to the City of Manila as the city is set to lose almost P2 billion. The five-star Century Park Hotel is currently situated on a 4.5 hectare prime property which could have netted at least P3 billion in sales. Instead, the city government sold the prime property at a bargain price of P1 billion, a far cry from what should have been its original price. It was claimed by Bagatsing that Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno has worked for the transaction to take place for the benefit of the mayor's ally in Lucio Tan.

The documents obtained by Bagatsing from the City Assessor's Office shows that the land occupied by the hotel was inexplicably reduced to an area of 22, 967 square meters and worth P 965,261,850 or almost P1 billion. The value of which the land was sold does not actually follow the current zonal valuation of the land as directed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. In reference to the BIR's valuation, the current value and selling price of prime properties in the Malate-Ermita district ranges from P 50,000 to P 80,000 per square meter. Using the current assessment, the land should have been acquired for about P3 billion.

The right to the land was awarded to the winning bidder Maranaw Hotels and Resort Corporation, the owner of Century Park Hotel.The corporation is publicly listed and a widely known property of business tycoon Lucio Tan, a known ally of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. In 2003, Tan's firm gained the rights to operate the hotel in 2003 from Tourist Trade and Travel Corporation of the Martel family. Maranaw Hotels and Resort Corporation, the current hotel's operator, submitted a P1 billion bid and was later given with the right to the land.It was believed that Lim used his authority to pave the way for the said anomalous transaction due to his closeness to Tan.

It was believed that the city council composed of 20 councilors have given Lim the authority to negotiate the sale of the hotel through City Council Resolution No. 176 adopted on August 5, 2008.The city council has also affirmed and ratified the award and sale to Tan's firm through Resolution No. 278 approved on December 23, 2008. The said transaction was also completed hastily in only a span of five months after Lim was granted authority to negotiate the sale. To cover up the anomalous transactions, the Committee on Bid and Award issued and published erratic and false notice of auction in the in the Philippine Star.

All the evidences gathered and collected show clear evidences that there had been an attempt to reduce the price tag for the said property which clearly makes this transaction a sweetheart deal.The deal has benefited an ally of Mayor Lim and clearly betrays the city's taxpayers and residents.The involvement of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim in this anomalous transaction is a clear evidence of abuse of authority and power, and a clear betrayal of the public's interest. The Ombudsman on its part must look carefully in this case and bring all the people involved to justice.

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno are facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman for their alleged involvement in the fraudulent bidding and sale of the Century Park Hotel at a bargain price of P 1billion. The involvement of the Mayor of Manila in this fraudulent transaction is a clear indication of abuse of authority and power, and a clear betrayal of the public's interest.