Even before President Rodrigo Duterte was elected to the highest position in the land, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has already been his foremost critic, calling him out for the criminality in hometown of Davao City, as well as his connections to alleged syndicates.
On Wednesday, Oct. 6, the former senator once more reminded the public through a two-minute-and-24-second video clip of his warnings about a Duterte presidency.
“Must watch: Mga babala ni Trillanes noong 2016 kung mananalo si Duterte. Sana’y di na maulit (The warnings of Trillanes back in 2016 if Duterte will win. Hope it doesn’t happen again),” a post using hashtags #DuterteKiller and #DuterteCorrupt said on his official Facebook page.
The video shows various clips of Trillanes’ interviews wherein he criticized Duterte for canceling events because of tardiness, as well as attacking the media when they become inconvenient to him.
“Mas magiging malala para sa bayan kung ang magiging presidente si Mayor Duterte (It will be worse for the country if Mayor Duterte will become president),” Trillanes said in one of the clips.
READ: With no Dutertes seeking national post, Trillanes asks Filipinos: ‘Don’t get fooled again’
He called the Chief Executive “a disaster for the country” and questioned how he expects to end criminality in “three to six months” when his actions are contradictory to his alleged anti-corruption drive.
Calling former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was released from hospital arrest shortly after Duterte’s election, “the symbol of corruption,” Trillanes said that the former Davao City mayor “was never known for being an anti-corruption crusader.”
“People tend to associate Duterte with discipline, but how can you expect discipline from a guy who doesn’t know discipline himself?” he asked in another video clip.
The Magdalo Party chairman is expected to file his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for senator on Friday, Oct. 8, or as president, if Vice President Leni Robredo doesn’t run by noon on the same day.
His warning came a few days after the President said that he is retiring from public office for good to prepare for his case before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
READ: Duterte announces 'retirement' from politics; cites 'obedience to people's will'
But in 2015, Duterte also said he would be retiring from politics only to emerge as a substitute candidate of the now-ruling PDP-Laban.