Trillanes says inclusion of Gordon, Binay in Robredo's slate won't affect their pending court cases

The inclusion of former Vice President Jejomar Binay and incumbent Senator Richard Gordon in Vice President Leni Robredo's senatorial line-up will not affect the cases filed against them, former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said on Monday, Oct. 18.

The former senator was reacting to the inclusion of the two officials, whom he has previously butted heads with. Trillanes was a key mover of the corruption allegations against Binay in 2015, while he has also criticized Gordon’s role in President Duterte’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs.

In a Facebook post, Trillanes explained that the decision to include Gordon and Binay in Robredo’s ticket came from the “selection committee,” which he is not a part of. It is believed that Senator Franklin Drilon, a Liberal Party (LP) stalwart, was instrumental in bringing the line-up together.

“Pero aaminin ko na ako ay nakonsulta sa pagsama kina Binay at Gordon. Nag-express ako ng mga reservations pero sa huli ay sinabi ko na ipapaubaya ko sa kanila ang desisyon kung ano sa paniniwala nila ang pinaka-ikakabuti sa kampanya ni VP Leni (But I will admit that I was consulted about the inclusion of Binay and Gordon. I expressed my reservations but in the end, I told them that the decision must be based on what is good for the campaign of VP Leni),” Trillanes said.

READ: Binay, Trillanes included in Robredo's 'unity' senatorial slate despite previous conflict

He added that the “number one mission” of the Magdalo Party, which he chairs, is to ensure Robredo’s victory. Winning a party-list seat and even his own senatorial candidacy come only second and third, respectively.

“Ganunpaman, walang magbabago sa mga kasong nililitis sa korte laban kay Binay at kasama pa rin si Gordon sa kaso sa ICC (Despite that, nothing has changed in the court causes against Binay, and Gordon is still included in the case before the ICC),” Trillanes reiterated.

Cases against Binay include graft charges, falsification of documents, and violation of the Government Procurement Act in connection with the P2.28-billion Makati City Hall Building II when he was still Makati mayor.

Gordon, on the other hand, was supportive of Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs and denied there were extrajudicial killings before his fallout with the President on the Pharmally probe.

Robredo announced her senatorial line-up last week. The inclusion of Gordon’s and Binay’s names shocked supporters because of the rocky relationship between these two and Trillanes, as well as Gordon’s with Senator Leila de Lima.

READ: Robredo bares 'diverse' opposition senatorial slate for 2022 polls