Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV maintained that the opposition still considers Vice President Leni Robredo as its possible standard-bearer in next year’s presidential elections.
But the former senator emphasized Robredo should rather make a decision on her candidacy “earlier than later” so they opposition can prepare for the upcoming polls.
“Definitely, we still maintain that Vice President Leni Robredo is the best candidate for the opposition,” Trillanes, now a professor, told ABS-CBN’s “After the Fact” Monday night.
READ: Leni can beat Sara in 2022 presidential polls—Trillanes
The vice president is being eyed as a presidential candidate by the Liberal Party and opposition coalition 1Sambayan led by former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio. Robredo, however, said she has “no decision yet” on her political plans in 2022.
She has yet to confirm whether she would be running for the country’s highest elective post, or if she would gun for the gubernatorial seat in Camarines Sur, her home province.
The uncertainty over Robredo’s next political move was partly why Trillanes recently declared his intention to be the standard-bearer of the opposition if the vice president drops out of the race.
Her spokesperson said Robredo could announce her plans “as late as September,” a month before the official filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the national elections.
READ: Robredo on 2022 election plans: 'no decision yet'
Trillanes said it would be better for Robredo to decide early so the opposition can move towards its preparations.
“Let me make that distinction about decision and declaration. The decision can be made quietly, privately, so that you can make the necessary preparations and you can make the declaration later, a few days before the October filing,” he said.
As an example, the former senator even cited what the administration candidates are now doing ahead of the May 2022 polls.
“Most of them have decided and yet none of them have officially declared. But the preparations are going on,” Trillanes noted.
“They are going to win not only public support, but also local support as what they have been doing. That’s the edge that we are losing,” he said.