De Lima to Trillanes amid accusations vs Robredo: Don't mistake allies for enemies

House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima called out former senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Wednesday for sowing “division” among the opposition by making insinuations that former vice president Leni Robredo is forging ties with the Dutertes.

“I have respect for former Senator Trillanes, who I consider a friend and a co-warrior against Duterte's excesses and evils,” De Lima stressed. “It is painful to see that there are statements that, instead of strengthening the ranks, can even cause division among former and current allies in principle and cause.”

De Lima made the remarks in the wake of Trillanes’ damning accusations against the ex-VP, now Naga City mayor, suggesting that she would have blocked the International Criminal Court’s warrant against former president Rodrigo Duterte had she won the presidency in 2022.

Trillanes, also a staunch critic of the former president like De Lima, further points to Robredo’s purported silence on the impeachment fiasco, claiming it might have something to do with her “friendship” and “alliance” with VP Duterte.

In September last year, VP Duterte paid her predecessor Robredo a courtesy visit at her residence in Naga City, at the height of her falling out with ally-turned-foe President Marcos Jr., Robredo’s rival in the 2016 and 2022 elections.

Although the brief encounter was deemed unplanned, it still sparked criticism among anti-Dutertes, particularly Trillanes, questioning whether it was a signal of shifting allegiances.

Dismissing Trillanes’ allegations, De Lima said she can vouch for Robredo’s shared commitment with the opposition in fighting injustice.

“No one who stood with us during the darkest days of impunity and persecution can honestly accuse her of being soft on accountability, least of all on Duterte… For her, accountability must apply to all. There is no room for double standards in the justice we hope for,” she contended.

The former senator also expressed dismay at the unforeseen political events, saying Trillanes must not mistake allies for enemies.

“We do not know what has prompted these claims. But we do know their effect: division, distraction, and disinformation,” she stressed. “Let us not hand ammunition to those who wish to see the democratic opposition fragmented and discredited. We in the opposition are not here to fight each other.”

De Lima and Trillanes have shared a similar stance on various key issues, particularly their strong opposition to the Duterte administration’s bloody war against drugs. They had been on the receiving end of former president Duterte’s wrath during their tenure as senators, having been vocal critics of his policies and his alleged attempt to silence the opposition.

Earlier this week, Trillanes said he would rather pick Senator Risa Hontiveros over Robredo as standard-bearer of the opposition in the 2028 presidential elections to possibly vie against VP Duterte should she survive the impeachment.