Duterte says Trillanes, Pacquiao alike: ‘They want to hold power’

MANILA, Philippines — Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Sen. Manny Pacquiao have the same goal, according to President Rodrigo Duterte.

“They want to, you know, hold power. Maybe they see a good opportunity for themselves,” Duterte said early Wednesday, speaking partly in Filipino, during his taped weekly briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

Duterte said this after his chief legal counsel, Salvador Panelo, hit Trillanes for accusing the president and Sen.  Christopher “Bong” Go of corruption over public works contracts in the Davao Region.

“Well, I leave Trillanes to you. You take care of that,” Duterte told Panelo. “He keeps on talking, but he won’t fight in a debate.”

Malacañang dared Trillanes to file cases over his allegation that Go’s family won government projects worth as much as P6.6 billion under Duterte— P1.5 billion when the chief executive was still Davao City mayor and P5.1 billion during the first two years of Duterte’s presidency.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao recently made headlines for claiming corruption in the government, tagging as corrupt agencies the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Trillanes has previously expressed his intent to run for president, but said he would step aside should Vice President Leni Robredo seek the highest government post.

Meanwhile, several officials and lawmakers have said that Pacquiao is eyeing to run for president in the 2022 national elections.

[atm]