‘Kung papalarin’: Trillanes eyes Blue Ribbon chairmanship in Senate comeback

MANILA— Former senator Antonio Trillanes IV is seeking a return to the Senate in the 2022 elections, eyeing the chairmanship of the powerful Blue Ribbon Committee if he gets lucky.

“I would be more effective dito sa Senate. For example, kung sakaling manalo, talagang kukuhanin natin 'yung Blue Ribbon Committee para talagang 'yung mga imbestigasyon na hindi natapos at hindi na-exhaust 'yung iba’t ibang modus ng corruption, ilalabas natin 'yan, tatapusin natin 'yan,” said Trillanes.

(If I win, I will take the Blue Ribbon Committee so that unfinished investigations on corruption, we will finish that.)

• Trillanes seeks Senate comeback, files candidacy

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which leads legislative investigations, is currently chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon. It is now investigating Pharmally Pharmaceutical, a company that supplied allegedly overpriced and substandard face masks, face shields and other medical equipment to government.

Trillanes on Friday filed his certificate of candidacy under Vice President Leni Robredo’s slate. Robredo filed her bid for the presidency on Thursday.

“'Yan ang naipahiwatig ko dito na rin kay VP Leni na kung papalarin, irereserba niyo na 'yan at marami tayong kailangang gawin d'yan,” he said.

(That was what I told VP Leni, that if I get lucky please reserve that slot because there's a lot to do.)

Trillanes said his Senate run was a decision made by the Magdalo group, composed of former military officers who had laid siege at a Makati hotel in 2003 to redress grievances against government. 

Trillanes and Robredo battled it out in the 2016 elections but have since become allies against the drug war and President Rodrigo Duterte's policy on China.