Trillanes preparing for possible presidential run in 2016

A report by Ryan Chua, ABS-CBN News

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is already preparing for the possibility of being a presidential candidate in the 2016 elections.

Nacionalista Party’s contenders?

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trillanes said he is among four candidates that the Nacionalista Party (NP) is considering to be its standard bearer.

The others are former Senator Manuel Villar, who ran but lost in the 2010 presidential race, and Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The NP has not yet begun the formal process of selecting its presidential candidate, but Trillanes said he has been preparing for it since the second quarter of this year.

‘Individual preparation’

Trillanes said he is focusing on the economic aspects of governance, his weakness.

“Kanya-kanyang individual preparation. We do the rounds and we prepare our own program of government,” he said.

“Instead of going around public markets at makikipag-boodle fight kami,” Trillanes added, alluding to Vice President Jejomar Binay’s recent activities. “Hinahanapan namin ng solusyon ang mga malalim na problema ng bansa.”

Marcos, meanwhile, said he will just wait for the NP’s decision next year. What is certain for him at this time is that he will run in the polls, whether as a senator again or for a higher position.

“I’m really operating on the basis of reelection at the moment,” he told reporters.

Investigations vs. VP Binay

Trillanes and Cayetano are leading a Senate subcommittee’s investigation on various corruption allegations against Binay, including overpriced infrastructure projects and hidden wealth.

Asked about his edge over Binay, the United Nationalist Alliance’s (UNA) presidential bet in 2016, Trillanes said, “Hindi naman tayo kurakot. That should be a primary consideration.”

Trillanes said he will respect whatever the NP’s decision will be next year, and that he would be willing to run for vice president if the party picks another presidential candidate.