Background
Roseller Lim was born to Antonio Lim and Mercedes Tarroza.
Roseller Lim was born to Antonio Lim and Mercedes Tarroza.
Silliman University.
He also served as Court of Appeals Justice from his appointment in 1973 until his death. Lim was known as the "Great Filibuster," after he filibustered for more than 18 hours in an attempt to prevent the election of Ferdinand Marcos as President of the Senate. In his first term in office, he authored the law that divided the province of Zamboanga into the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.
Lim was instrumental in the election of the Philippines into the International Labor Organization governing body in 1957.
Lim also authored the Barrio Charter Law, which served as the basis of the current barangay governments. Great filibuster
In April 1963, Liberal Senator Ferdinand Marcos contested the presidency of the Senate against long-time Senate President Eulogio Rodriguez of the Nacionalista Party.
The Senate was then composed of 12 Liberals, 10 Nacionalistas and two independents who caucus with the latter. Shortly before the Senate adjourned, Lim took the floor to buy time to wait for the arrival from the United States, of fellow Nacionalista Senator Alejandro Almendras.
Lim had to stand the entire time, leaning only on the podium on occasions.
He only had water nearby to sustain him and was even prohibited from going to the comfort room. Forcing him to relieve in his pants. Upon learning of Almendras" arrival in the session hall, Lim ended his filibustering after 18 hours and 30 minutes.
Immediately after he was able to cast his vote for Rodriguez, Lim was carried out of the session hall on a stretcher due to exhaustion.
Only to find out later that Almendras voted for Marcos. Later career
When Marcos bolted from the Liberals to the Nacionalistas to run as president in the 1965 election, Lim supported President Diosdado Macapagal of the rival Liberal Party.
In 1970, Lim was elected to the 1971 constitutional convention. In 1973, Marcos appointed Lim to the Court of Appeals.
Roseller Lim was the first and only politician from Zamboanga to be elected to the Philippine Senate.
In March 16, 1982, President Ferdinand Marcos signed the Batas Pambansa Number. 183 creating the municipality of Roseller T. Lim in the province of Zamboanga del Sur (now in Zamboanga Sibugay) in honor of Lim. A famous boulevard in Zamboanga City was named after the latter which has the view of the beautiful Basilan Strait and the Sulu Sea beginning from the city proper to the industrial complex of the city.
In 2006, the Zamboanga City Council approved Ordinance Number 283 designating February 9 as "Dia de Roseller T. Lim" (Roseller T Lim Day) and a bronze monument was carved at the rotunda of the Normal Road and the R. T. Lim Boulevard.
Lim was a member of the Nacionalista Party and was first elected as representative of the Lone District of Zamboanga in 1949.