The opposition is ready for all scenarios, including the possibility that President Duterte will run as vice president in the May 2022 polls, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said.
“As part of the opposition, we are prepared for all the scenario since we can’t really control what the administration would do. So, for us, we might as well factor in all the scenarios,” Trillanes said in an interview with ABS-CBN’s “After the Fact” Monday night.
This also includes the opposition’s standard-bearer facing presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who former Camarines Sur 1st District Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. claimed during the show will surely run for the presidency next year.
READ: Sara Duterte will carry ‘not pretty, not pleasant baggage’ if she runs for president, says Trillanes
Trillanes, who is vocal about wanting to run as president and said he will do it if Vice President Leni Robredo backs out, believes that the Chief Executive will not run but instead leave the chance to his daughter.
He called the controversial Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) assembly last month a “Bong Go play,” referring to Duterte’s long-time aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go.
The PDP-Laban’s assembly last month was where the ruling political party supposedly anointed Duterte as a vice presidential candidate and gave him the power to choose the party’s standard-bearer.
READ: PDP-Laban adopts resolution urging Duterte to seek VP seat in May 2022 polls
“I think they are just peddling Mr. Duterte as vice president so that they (will) be able to show that is the official administration ticket. So, I believe there is some play going on,” Trillanes said.
Duterte, despite criticisms, has remained popular to Filipinos, even getting an overall approval rate of 65 percent and a trust rating of 55 percent.
The former senator said the opposition is “watching, evaluating, and assessing everything.”
Trillanes added they would go all out in their campaign to win the upcoming elections.
“We also expect the worst from some of the candidates. They are going to employ all the tactics—dirty or otherwise—just to make sure that they will be holding to power. That’s part of the preparation that we are doing,” he said.