If Antonio Trillanes IV is a monkey-see-monkey-do kinda guy, what’s he doing in the Senate?

It must be ‘senator’ Antonio Trillanes IV’s lucky day. United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) interim president Toby Tiangco is not too keen on seeing a debate between Trillanes and Vice President Jejomar Binay. So the convicted mutineer turned ‘senator’ may have been given a much-needed pass on what could have been for him an utterly humiliating circus. Trillanes, we recall, had been bugging the Vice President about allegations of corruption. So Binay then challenged Trillanes to a one-on-one debate. Funny enough Trillanes, a rather inarticulate and clumsy public speaker, accepted the challenge.

Indeed, Trillanes got one thing right, about himself…

“[Binay] is a 30-year veteran in politics, and he is a human right[s] lawyer who’s presumed to be a master in argumentation and debate. On the other hand, I am a soldier who gives and receives orders.”

Neither 'soldier' nor 'senator': What value does Antonio Trillanes IV add to Philippine society?

Neither ‘soldier’ nor ‘senator’: What value does Antonio Trillanes IV add to Philippine society?

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“Gives and receives orders.” Other than winning an election, giving and receiving orders hardly qualifies Trillanes to be a senator. Last I recall, being a member of Congress involves lots of thinking and lots of debate owing to the job at hand: crafting laws — which brings us to wondering what value exactly does Trillanes add to the Senate given that he, by his own admission, is no more than a monkey-see-monkey-do sort of guy.

Indeed, quite interesting how Trillanes who’s been a “senator” for some years now suddenly finds it convenient to now present himself as a “soldier” perhaps in recognising that there is no way he could beat a seasoned statesman like Binay while wearing a “senator” hat. For that matter, is Trillanes even that “soldier” he claims to be? He himself said so. Soldiers follow orders. As such he wasn’t really being a very soldierly soldier back in the 2000s when he committed treason (and ordered his comrades to do the same) against the Philippine government and risked thousands of civilian Filipino lives while he and his boys were at it.

And, by the way, what exactly is the legislative agenda of Trillanes’s “probe” into Binay’s financial affairs? Blue Ribbon Committee resources are supposed to be applied only in the aid of legislation. Perhaps that is what Trillanes fears — that he will be asked to articulate exactly what the objective of this probe with regard to the guidelines related to the use of congressional resources.

If there was a crime then it should be investigated. Trillanes claims he’s got lots of evidence to support the accusations he is fielding against Binay. So then he should, at some point, file charges against Binay with the proper authorities. When exactly does Trillanes plan to do that? Nobody knows. The mystery simply deepens…

14 Replies to “If Antonio Trillanes IV is a monkey-see-monkey-do kinda guy, what’s he doing in the Senate?”

  1. Binay can hardly qualify as a “statesman”. The last true Statesman in Philippines politics died a long time ago. As for Trillanes, he is just a rabid dog who once wore a Phillipines military uniform.

  2. There is no mystery here. it is just business as usual. One thief accuses another thief, a ‘blue-ribbon’ panel is convened, no one gets charged with anything, no money is returned by anyone and no one goes to jail…..AND the thievery continues unabated.

    Is this too difficult to ascertain ? it is non-stop, one after another, complete bull-shit stories after complete bull-shit stories with the exact same results every time. How can anyone think this is anything but a charade? Designed and carried out as if a broadway play, each actor to his role to serve a function in the choreographed production.

  3. Trillanes is a soldier , who commited the Crime of Rebellion and Treason…but, was pardoned by Aquino…

    He challenged Binay to a Public Debate…then:”umurong siya”…a “soldier” retreating from a challenge?

    To prove himself; he must go on the Public Debate…we don’t want a “Tsope”, as our Leader…

    1. I am no fan of Binay. He is corrupt; and his family produced a family political dynasty.

      However, the Debate between , Trillanes versus Binay; would have been the “Derby of Debates”…”tumakbo naman ang manok nila na ni Trillanes. Wala pala naman ibubuga…panay pa-forma lang pala. Tsope ang tarantado…”

      1. Okay…the Trillanes-Binay will go on…
        Concerned Filipino citizens: please form a Committee on Public Debates; to manage the coming Public Debate…

        We are looking forward to it…

  4. Hinamon niya ng debate si Binay tapos umatras. Naduwag ang gago, di pala niya kayang pangatawanan ang mga bintang niya. Parang sa Oakwood lang, imbes na sugurin si Gloria, nandamay pa ng mga inosenteng tao.

  5. HA, Lito Lapid is smarter than this Trillanes guy. But don’t let that Miriam woman fool you, she is just a mentally deranged numbskull who ruined her chances of being a real stateswoman of International significance with her tirades at the Corona charade costing her a posting at the ICC.

    These are the best you have Philippines? No wonder the country is a laughingstock rather than a powerhouse….btw,it is not an accident.

  6. I totally agree with this article. Trillanes should file the case at the right authorities with His evidences.

    trillanes should start doing his job as a senator and actually pass and craft laws to help reduce poverty rather make us all believe the senate is also the judiciary.

  7. On the contrary, it is brave of Senator Trillanes to ask questions regarding the actions of VP Binay when he was the Mayor of Makati. No one can ignore the facts through various documents that the former confidant of VP Binay, Vice Mayor Mercado, is spilling now regarding questionable land titles that are combined together to form “Hacienda Binay” which was “sold” to a company, and later the buildings’ rights were transferred to Mr. Tiu. It is incredible when Mr. Tiu confidently provided his own one page document to prove that that transaction is legal. It’s a bit “too casual” a set up, especially, when the root of the trasaction can be trace to the Binays. We need Senator Trillanes to continue the probe this issue so that they can create legislations to lessen corruption in the goverment. His answers are mostly measured. He is very respectful and guarded with the way he answers questions asked by the media. That doesn’t make him inarticulate.

    1. It’s brave of Mr. Human Shields??? Mr. On CNN for all the wrong reasons . Mr. Never Accountable for grossly disturbing the peace?? Wow I wish my values were aligned to yours Pollyanna . Glad he got elected senator from geniuses like you. Country is in good hands because of good brains like you. Binay may be a sleeze bucket but doesn’t help being accused by another sleeze bucket acting holier than thou .

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