While he has always been critical of President Duterte, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has agreed with the way he has taken care of the needs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Doon po sa pag-alaga sa Armed Forces of the Philippines... ano kasi isang advocacy rin namin yan (In the way he has taken care of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, that’s one of our advocacies, too),” Trillanes said during an recent interview on GMA’s The Mangahas Interviews.
“Diyan masasabi ko nag-a-agree kami (When it comes to that, I will say that we agree),” Trillanes added, specifically mentioning the moral and welfare benefits given to the military.
The staunch critic of Duterte also lauded the Chief Executive’s decision to continue the AFP modernization program started during the time of former President Benigno Aquino III.
“Pinagpatuloy niya. Sa ganung paraan, nag-a-agree tayo dun (He continued. In that sense, we agree there),” Trillanes, a nominee of opposition coalition 1Sambayan for its 2022 national slate, said.
READ: Trillanes backs 1Sambayan vs Duterte; ready to support Robredo
But he did not miss criticizing the administration for its economic and legislative policies, as well as its fight against drugs, crimes, and corruption.
During the same interview, Trillanes said Duterte’s Build, Build, Build program is all a facade.
“Ito pong mga ginagawang proyekto na ito, iyong connector road, NLEX-SLEX na yan, panahon pa ng Aquino administration yan (These projects that they are doing, the connector road, the NLEX-SLEX, that was during the time of the Aquino administration),” he stated.
The eight-kilometer all-elevated four-lane toll expressway that connects the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway was listed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects of the previous administration. The last phase of the project will begin construction next month and will be on track to be finished by 2022.
“Ang nagawa niya lang ito lang tulay na inopen na hindi pa naman naka-connect, nadadaanan (The only thing he did is open this bridge that has not been connected, used by motorists),” Trillanes said.
The former senator was referring to the groundbreaking ceremony attended by the President in 2019 to mark the start of the two-year construction of the connector road project.
He also criticized the government’s anti-crime and anti-corruption policies, saying that Duterte has a failing grade on stopping street crimes and corruption.
Trillanes also called out the administration for its failure to prosecute drug lords.