Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Sunday, Dec. 5, claimed that the endorsement by President Duterte of any presidential candidate has no political capital anymore and is merely about the money.
“Ang pinaka-value ng (The value of the) endorsement ni (by) Duterte at this point is ‘yung pondo. Maaaring ‘yung (is the fund. Maybe the) political base nya parang nahigop na ni Bongbong Marcos pero yung pondo (has been diminished by Bongbong Marcos but the fund) being the admin(istration) candidate ‘yan ang inaantabayanan ng mga (that’s what being waited upon by) local candidates,” he said.
Trillanes, a member of the Magdalo Party but is running under the ticket of presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan, was a guest during Robredo’s weekly radio show.
The Vice President was a no-show during Sunday’s episode as she has spent the last two days in Iloilo City.
The former senator explained that if Duterte, for example, endorses Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, then the administration’s campaign fund will go to him.
Local candidates will support Moreno’s candidacy, too, because they would need the funds for their own campaign, he noted.
READ: Give Duterte time to decide on who to endorse in Palace race–Nograles
“Itong samahan nila Duterte ano naman ito, pera-pera ito. Wala namang prinsipyong diyan pinag-uusapan sa kanila so ganun iyan (This group of Duterte is just about the money. There is no principle being talked about there so that’s that),” Trillanes said.
The President hasn’t officially endorsed anyone for president, though Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said he will be withdrawing from the 2022 presidential race, leaving the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party without a presidential bet.
Moreno earlier said he will not refuse Duterte’s endorsement if the Chief Executive wants him to be the administration’s presidential bet.
Meanwhile, Trillanes refuted Duterte’s claim he has fulfilled most of his campaign promises before his term ends next year.
The Magdalo leader cited that aside from not fulfilling his campaign promise of riding a jet ski to go to the disputed West Philippine Sea and plant the Philippine flag there, Duterte also wasn’t able to end criminality and drugs in “three to six months.”
READ: Duterte pats back, says he fulfilled almost all of his campaign promises
“Alam po natin na hindi po totoo ‘yan, na malaking kasinungalingan ‘yan (We know that is not true, that it’s a big lie),” he stressed.
“Lumalala po iyong krimen. Maraming ng (Criminality has worsened. There are many)—in fact, pati ‘yung kapulisan na (even the police) supposed to be ay sila yung nagbabantay sa mamamayan ay sinasangkot sa mga (they are the ones protecting the citizens are being implicated in) criminal activities,” Trillanes added.
Corruption also worsened, Trillanes claimed, noting the allegations of corruption in state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and in the government’s procurement of substandard medical supplies from Pharmally Pharmaceutical Inc.
He, however, noted that Duterte made true his promise to increase the salaries of the police and military.
“In fact, siguro sa sampung pangako nya o sa isang daang pangako nya, baka mga dalawa or tatlo lang iyong nagawa niya diyan (maybe in 10 of his promises or 100 of his promises, maybe only two or three were fulfilled),” Trillanes said.