Trillanes vows to serve as watchdog to Binay presidency

Sen. Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV is one of Vice President Jejomar Binay’s most vocal critics. But what happens if both of them win?

“I will be a watchdog,” Trillanes said on Tuesday during the first INQ&A on Facebook.

“I am 100 percent sure di magbabago si Vice President Binay. For the past 30 years talagang nagnanakaw sya. What would make us think na babaguhin nya ang istilo na yun pag nakaupo na sya at ang hawak nya P3 trillion na budget ng kaban ng bayan?” he added.

(I am 100 percent sure that Vice President Binay will not change. For the past 30 years he was a crook. What would make us think that he will change when he wins as president and be given the authority to manage P3 trillion worth of funds?)

The senator, who has been active in the Senate probe on the alleged overpriced Makati parking building, said he believed that Binay was not “worthy (karapat-dapat)” to lead the country.

Trillanes said it was his “moral obligation also aside from [his] mandate as a senator to expose his real character.”

He pointed out that before he asked the Senate to investigate Binay, the Vice President was “practically a president in waiting” who enjoyed high preference ratings. That was no longer the case, he said.

Trillanes is among those who have accused Binay and his family of pocketing the people’s money through anomalous transactions in Makati City.

Asked if his “crusade” against Binay helped his campaign, he said, “I really don’t know. Only time will tell if it’s going to be a factor.”

However, Trillanes clarified that he was not going after Binay to boost his campaign as vice president.

“Kasi alam nyo napakahirap kumalaban ng isang makapangyarihan na tao, lalo na itong si Vice President Binay,” he said.

(Because you know it is very hard to go against a powerful person, especially Vice President Binay.)