Despite earlier plans to run as either president or vice president, it looks like former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is putting those on the back burner as he revealed that he will likely seek another term as senator.
During a recent interview on PressOnePH, the former senator bares that his political plans hinge on the decision of Vice President Leni Robredo on whether or not she will run for president. Robredo and Trillanes are both nominees of opposition coalition 1Sambayan.
“Naghahantay kami ng desisyon ni Vice President Robredo. Kung tatakbo siya, mag-o-allout tayo na suportahan siya, ipanalo siya at tatakbo ako ng senado (We are waiting for the decision of Vice President Robredo. If she will run, we will be all out in our support for her, to make her win and I will run for the Senate) in that case,” he shared.
If Robredo will not run for president, Trillanes stated that his Magdalo Party will wait for the nomination of 1Sambayan because they already committed to the opposition.
“We will have to wait kung ano ‘yung pasya nila (what their decision will be),” the former Navy officer said.
READ: Robredo a 'sure winner' if she runs for president, says Trillanes
In the same interview, he admitted that no one knows “even in her inner circle” what Robredo’s decision will be.
“May mga kutob kami kung saan ang direksyon niya pero lahat naman ‘yan magbabago (We have a hunch where she’s directed at, but all of that can still change),” he said.
The Vice President is said to be nearing her decision to become the opposition’s standard-bearer, but Trillanes added that everything is still a possibility at this point.
“Pwede siyang tumakbo, pwedeng hindi siya tumakbo. Pwede siyang tumakbo ng mayor ng Naga (She may run, or she may not run). She can run as mayor of Naga, for example. Pwede siyang hindi tumakbo (She can decide not to run) all together, di ba. Iyon nga pwede siyang tumakbong presidente (And, of course, she can run as president),” he said.
READ: Decision time for Robredo draws near
Trillanes had earlier expressed plans to run as president if Robredo will not do so herself. Some reports even said that he might become Robredo’s running mate if she runs for president, but he already put a rest to this rumor after saying that the vice president needs a running mate with stronger survey numbers than him.
Trillanes ran as vice president in the 2016 elections--a race that Robredo won.
Although he has been vocal in his support for Robredo, he was earlier critical of her exploratory talks with other potential candidates for the presidency in her bid to form a united opposition ahead of the May 2022 national elections.
The two have seemingly mended that impasse as Trillanes revealed he and the Magdalo Party, which he chairs, will be supportive of Robredo and will trust 1Sambayan’s nomination process.
The opposition coalition earlier nominated him, Robredo, and a few others for the presidency. So far, only he and Robredo did not reject the nomination.