Presidential aspirant Vice President Leni Robredo threw her full support for former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who is running under her ticket, calling him “bantay ng bayan (nation’s watchman)” and “kakampi (ally)” who will push for the same anti-corruption reforms that are the core of her campaign.
In a video released on Thursday, Feb. 3, the Vice President expressed her full trust for Trillanes, who grabbed headlines when he attempted a coup against then President Gloria Arroyo to protest alleged corruption in the military.
“Ngayong tumatakbo siya para makabalik sa Senado, tiwala akong ipagpapatuloy niya ang mga nasimulan niyang adbokasiya (Now that he is running to return to the Senate, I trust that he will continue the advocacies he started),” Robredo said.
Among these advocacies are Trillanes’ anti-corruption campaign, economic recovery and poverty alleviation, and peace and order.
“Kailangan natin ng kakampi sa Senado na hindi lang tutulong susulong sa mga programa natin, na magbabantay sa mga susubok magmalabis sa kapangyarihan, na sisigurong mananagot ang umaabuso at nagsadlak sa atin sa mga problemang hinaharap natin ngayon (We need an ally in the Senate who will not only help push for our programs, but will also guard those who will try to abuse power, will make sure that those who abused and put us in the problems we face now will be held accountable),” she added.
The aspiring president praised the former Navy officer, who is a staunch critic of President Duterte, for his “courage” to fight against those abusive of power.
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“Tumindig siya para panagutin ang mga tiwali kahit siya ay makulong (He stood up to make the corrupt accountable despite being imprisoned),” she said.
When Trillanes won as senator in 2007, he prioritized passing laws that will reform the government and help Filipinos. He was reelected in 2013.
In 2019, after his second term ended, the Senate awarded him as the “most productive senator” because he had the most national bills passed as principal author and principal sponsor.
“Maliban pa ito sa mga natulungan niya sa mga programa tulad ng (This is aside from the people he helped through his programs such as) medical assistance at (and) scholarship programs,” Robredo said.
Trillanes passed into law the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, the Salary Standardization Law, the new AFP Modernization Law, the Magna Carta of the Poor, the Anti-Bullying Act, the Cheaper Medicines Law, and the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, among others.