Trillanes: Magdalo won’t join Leni, LP in backing Lacson’s prexy bid in Eleksyon 2022

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday warned Vice President Leni Robredo and the Liberal Party that the Magdalo Group won’t join an alliance to support the presidential bid of Senator Panfilo Lacson.

This was his statement after Lacson bared that he and Senate President Vicente Sotto III had sat down with Robredo and former Senator Bam Aquino to discuss matters related to the upcoming polls.

“VP Leni, I hope this is not true. Pero kung totoo ito, pasensya na po pero the Magdalo Group would not join you and LP kung mag give way kayo para kay Sen. Lacson,” Trillanes said in a tweet.

The former senator then reminded Robredo that Lacson was instrumental in the imprisonment of Liberal Party member Senator Leila de Lima.

“May I remind you also na si Sen. Lacson ay isa sa nagtulak sa unjust imprisonment of your partymate, Sen. De lima,” he added.

In a press statement, Robredo's spokesperson, lawyer Barry Gutierrez, said it is too early to declare that Robredo was giving way for Lacson's presidency.

"It is extremely premature to talk of 'giving way' when VP Leni has not yet made a definitive announcement regarding her candidacy for President. What she has said before stands: she remains open to running for President, and will announce her decision at the appropriate time," Gutierrez said.

GMA News Online has sought Lacson's comment regarding Trillanes' tweet but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

Lacson's disclosure of their meeting with Robredo was confirmed by Robredo's camp, saying the meetings were held last week.

In a statement earlier in the day,  Gutierrez said the meetings were held last week.

"My understanding is that these meetings were held last week. I can't speak about the specifics, but this is all part of the VP's commitment to forge the broadest possible unity among groups and individuals seeking change in 2022," he  said.

In June, Trillanes announced that he was open to run for president in the upcoming polls but his decision would depend on Robredo.

Meanwhile, Robredo said she was looking at the “viability” of her possible presidential run.

Robredo then said there were allies who had paid her a visit to convince her to run for president, and that there have been exploratory talks with other possible candidates for the 2022 polls.

The Vice President said that potential allies cannot be dismissed without trying consensus-building first.

Trillanes and Robredo are among the six nominees of the opposition coalition 1Sambayan for president and vice president, along with Senator Grace Poe, Representatives Eduardo Villanueva and Vilma Santos-Recto, and lawyer Chel Diokno.

LP president and Senator Francis Pangilinan earlier said they were making efforts to reach out to Lacson, Senators Nancy Binay and Joel Villanueva, and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno for next year’s elections.

He also said that the opposition party seeks to bring together the “broadest unity possible” which he said is “critical” in order to build a slate that will go against the administration in the upcoming polls. -MDM/KBK, GMA News