Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV on Sunday vowed to eliminate corruption and drug proliferation in the country should he win the vice presidency in the May 9 polls.
In his opening statement during the lone vice presidential debate at the University of Santo Tomas, Trillanes said illegal drugs and other peace and order-related issues hinder economic growth.
“Ako po ay naniniwalang ito (illegal drugs) po ang pangunahing hadlang sa pag unlad ng ating ekonomiya,” Trillanes said.
(I believe that the proliferation of illegal drugs is the primary hindrance to the growth of our economy.)
The vice presidential candidates were asked to answer the question “What will define your leadership as vice president of the Philippines?” in their opening salvos.
READ: 6 bets square off in lone vice presidential debate
The soldier-turned-senator also trumpeted his role in government investigations that supposedly exposed corrupt officials.
“Ako po ay humaharap sa inyo base sa srili kong kakayahan. Wala po akong kamag anak na puliyiko na gumawa ng aking pangalan,” he said.
“Itinulak ko ang interes ng sambayanan at kasama na ang iba’t ibang sektor ng lipunan. Pinamunuan ko rin ang imbestigasyon na nag-expose ng mga tiwali,” Trillanes added.
(I present myself to you based on my own abilities. I have no relatives in politics who built my name.
I push for the interest of the country and the different sectors of the society. I also led the investigations that exposed the corrupt.)
It was Trillanes who initiated the months-long Senate probe against Vice President Jejomar Binay, who had been facing corruption allegations in connection with the allegedly overpriced Makati City Hal Building II.
Citing the case of other countries, Trillanes said there was a need to increase the wage of government employees so that they would not be tempted to steal from public coffers.
He also proposed to establish an anti-corruption agency under the executive branch and a reform at the Commission on Audit. CDG
READ: VP bets urged to ‘come out of shadows’ in debate