Trillanes: Duterte's tirades vs. Pacquiao 'warning' to other possible presidential bets

For former senator Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against Senator Manny Pacquiao are meant to "warn" other possible presidential bets in Eleksyon 2022.

Trillanes also believes that the intramurals in the PDP-Laban was done deliberately to anoint Duterte’s bet as the ruling party’s standard bearer, which he said, is “obviously” not Pacquiao.

“I believe that is deliberate na itong PDP ire-reserba nina Duterte para sa kandidato nila and obviously hindi ‘yon si Senator Pacquiao,” he said.

(I believe that what they are doing to Pacquiao is deliberate. They are preparing the party for Duterte’s candidate which is obviously not Pacquiao.)

“‘Yung ginagawa kay Pacquiao ngayon ay isang babala sa mga kaalyado nila like [Manila Mayor] Isko [Moreno], [Senator Panfilo] Lacson para magdalawang-isip kung lalaban sila,” he added.

(What they are doing to Pacquiao is also a warning to their allies like Isko and Lacson so they will reconsider whatever plan they have for the coming elections.)

Trillanes also noted Duterte’s sudden change of heart in supporting Pacquiao on his possible presidential bid.

“Si Senator Pacquiao nu’ng nandoon pa, solid pa ang kanilang alliance binobola pa nga sya, okay daw maging presidente tinuro n’ya si Pacquaio. Ngayon na malapit na at obviously, hindi si Pacquiao ang kandidato nila, talagang ginigiba nila at itong PDP ang magiging behikolo ng Duterte anointed o ng [Lakas-CMD party] ni [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo]. Kaya pinaasa si Pacquiao,” Trillanes said.

(Before, he was praising Pacquiao and tagged him as one of the candidates for presidency but now that the elections is fast approaching, he is criticizing Pacquiao.  The PDP-Laban is being prepared for Duterte’s candidate or the candidate of Arroyo’s Lakas-CMD.)

Nevertheless, Trillanes said Pacquiao was never in control of the PDP-Laban, saying their partymates will side with those who have the resources and the machinery.

“Ang administrasyon ang may pera, si Duterte. ‘Di ma-match ni Pacquiao ang administrasyon ni Duterte,” he said.

(The administration has the resources and Pacquiao cannot match what Duterte has.)

Furthermore, Trillanes said the ongoing feud among PDP-Laban members give “uncertainty” to both the administration and the opposition possible candidates for the 2022 polls.

Duterte, in his weekly public address Monday night, lashed out at Pacquiao for allegedly criticizing him about the corruption issues.

"Si Pacquiao salita nang salita na three times daw tayong mas corrupt so I am challenging him, ituro mo ang opisina na corrupt at ako na ang bahala within one week may gawin ako," Duterte said.

(Pacquiao said we're three times more corrupt so I am challenging him to identify the corrupt offices and I would handle the situation within a week.)

Pacquiao accepted Duterte’s challenge and cited the alleged overpricing of COVID-19-related equipment procured by the Department of Health (DOH).—AOL, GMA News