MANILA, Philippines — After declaring his intention to run for higher office, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday said he was among four presidential contenders being considered by the Nacionalista Party (NP) headed by former Senator Manny Villar.
“Apat po yung tinitingnan ng Nacionalista Party–andyan na po si Senator Manny Villar, si Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Senator Bongbong Marcos, and myself,” Trillanes said in an interview at the Senate when asked about the NP’s possible standard-bearer in 2016.
Unlike Villar and Marcos, Trillanes said he and Cayetano had publicly announced their desire to seek a higher post. Cayetano indicated his intention to run for president while Trillanes , in a television interview last May, simply announced that he was eyeing a higher post.
Sen. Antonio Trillanes III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
But during Tuesday’s interview, Trillanes said he was preparing for both presidential and vice presidential positions.
“I should be prepared for both,” he said, saying he started preparing for his run since the second quarter of the year.
Trillanes said his preparations included providing solutions to problems confronting the country, such as the economy, insurgency, terrorism, syndicated crime, and transnational crimes.
“We’re in the middle of formulating the economic plan and hopefully by the middle of next year ready na ‘yan,” said Trillanes.
Asked why he would like to run for president, Trillanes said: “Well, I want to serve my country. Nakikita natin yung problema ng bansa and I’d like to believe that we have the prescriptions to solve this problem and in the end , we just offer ourselves to the people. Bahala na silang maghusga kung sino ang gusto nilang mamuno sa kanilang bansa.”
Trillanes believes he has an edge over Vice President Jejomar Binay, who openly declared his presidential bid in 2016.
“Well, hindi naman tayo kurakot so I believe that should be the primary consideration,” said Trillanes.
But he said he would leave his faith to the NP, which he said would decide in the middle of 2015 whether or not to field its own standard-bearer in 2016.
Trillanes did not discount the possibility of sliding down to a party mate and running with a standard-bearer of the administration’s Liberal Party should the NP fail to field its own bet.
“The initial plan is to field our own candidate but we’re not ruling out anything. Siguro the only thing we will rule out is joining forces with Vice President Binay,” he said.
It was Trillanes who initiated the Senate probe against Binay over the alleged overpricing of the Makati City Hall 2 parking building and other alleged irregularities when the latter was still the mayor of Makati City.
Binay has repeatedly denied the allegations.
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