AS a tough law enforcer, he was popularly known as “Dirty Harry,” but as a no-nonsense public servant, he was “Mr. Clean Government.” In his more than 60 years of public service, his name remained unsullied by any scandal and his conduct in office which spanned a lifetime had been nothing but exemplary. He may not be the greatest mayor Manila ever had, but his love for the city would be unsurpassed. Who among our government officials would give up the second half of his Senate seat and run to reclaim his old mayoralty post in his fair and beloved city? Only General Alfredo Lim, whose heart beats in unison with the residents of Manila. Lim was a Manilan through and through.
He was born on December 21, 1929 in Manuguit, Tondo. When his father died early, the family was so poor that he was given up for adoption. He was brought to the Hospicio de San Jose, the oldest welfare institution in the country run by the Catholic nuns. He stayed there until his maternal grandmother claimed him some years later. It’s the home for the orphans, the abandoned and the elderly located in Isla de Convalencia beside the Pasig River, which can only be accessed through Ayala Bridge. Lim unsuccessfully ran for president. His days living in Hospicio de San Jose were the closest he ever got to Malacanang. He completed his elementary education in P. Gomez Elementary School in Sta. Cruz, Manila; his secondary education in FEU; and his degrees in Business Administration and Bachelor of Law in UE. He served as the Superintendent of the Philippine National Police Academy and also served as both the Superintendent of the Northern Police District and the Manila Police District. After retiring from the PNP, he was appointed by President Cory Aquino as the Director of the NBI.
General Alfredo Siojo Lim died on August 8, 2020 from complications caused by Covid-19. By quirk of fate, his death coincided with the anniversary of the establishment of the old Philippine Constabulary, the forerunner of the Philippine National Police, which he served with great distinction. Until his last breath, Lim wanted to be remembered with his old service unit. Lim was one of the most bemedalled police officers and one of the finest men to ever wear the police uniform.
He was first elected as mayor of Manila in 1992 after his stint as the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation. He served a total of 4 terms as a city mayor, the most number of terms served by any Manila mayor. He did not become the PNP Chief but he served as the Secretary of the Local Government under President Joseph Estrada. It was hailed as a nonpartisan appointment since Lim ran against Estrada for president, which the latter won. It reflected Lim’s outstanding qualifications for the position to be even considered by a political opponent for such a sensitive position. His life story was so inspiring that it was made into a movie at least four times, played no less by our country’s top actors.
Lim, as the mayor of Manila, had been invited to attend anniversary events of the Insurance Commission more than once when I was its commissioner. The last event he attended was the fun run hosted by the Insurance industry before he finally left the City Hall. We were running side by side when we passed by the monument of the late publisher and columnist Max Soliven who had been Mayor Lim’s avid supporter. Never short of interesting anecdotes, Lim narrated to me that soon after the great journalist died, he approached Soliven’s widow, Mrs. Preciosa Soliven, to tell her of his plan to erect a monument in Max’s honor in the promenade along Roxas Boulevard. Lim asked her where she would like to have it built. Thinking for a second, Max’s widow said: “I like it to be constructed across the Aristocrat Restaurant in Malate. When asked why she had chosen that spot, Mrs. Soliven candidly replied, “Max and I had a dinner date in Aristocrat Restaurant. After eating, we crossed Dewey Boulevard (the old name of Roxas Boulevard) to be close to the sea. That’s where we had our first kiss.”
Before the police were professionalized, the police forces were under the control of the local executives who could hire and fire policemen. Lim was a young police officer then and was very close to Mayor Antonio J. Villegas. Unfortunately, Villegas lost in his bid for another reelection to then Congressman Ramon Bagatsing. On Bagatsing’s inauguration, Villegas and his family departed for the US to settle abroad. He was photographed boarding his flight with his loyal friend and police aide, officer Alfredo Lim, bidding him goodbye and executing his farewell salute. Bagatsing was offended by Lim’s gesture and “canned” Lim for all the years that Bagatsing was lording it over City Hall. “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”
True to his PNP motto, “To Serve and to Protect,” until his dying day, Lim had served his country and people well, particularly the downtrodden. He built hospitals to cater to the poor Manilans who could not afford adequate medical services, and founded the City College of Manila to ensure that destitute students of his city could have more educational opportunities. As a tough law enforcer, he was unique in that he respected the rule of law. And he expressed it in his own inimitable style: “The law applies to all, otherwise to none at all.” He made our day.