De Lima hits Trillanes ‘distraction’: Robredo not soft on Dutertes

The liberal opposition finds itself a house divided again, with former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV accusing former Vice President Leni Robredo that she would not have given up former President Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) had she been president.
On Wednesday, Trillanes said in a television interview that Robredo had no intentions of turning over the former president to the international tribunal now investigating his alleged crimes against humanity for his war on drugs because of her supposedly long-standing friendship with his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
Robredo, former chair of the Liberal Party (LP), ran for the presidency in 2022 and lost to President Marcos.
Painful statement
Trillanes’ allegations prompted LP spokesperson and Mamamayang Liberal Rep. Leila de Lima to chide him for making public accusations that “target allies instead of adversaries.”
“I have respect for former Senator Trillanes, who I consider a friend and a co-warrior against Duterte’s excesses and evils,” she said in a statement. “That’s why it’s 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.”
“We do not know what has prompted these claims. But we do know their effect: division, distraction, and disinformation. Instead of focusing on extracting accountability for those who have done something wrong, we ourselves are fighting each other,” she added.
“We in the opposition are not here to fight each other,” she stressed. “We are here to fight for the people—for justice, truth, and dignity. That is our shared mission. Let us not lose sight of it.”
Unfair to Robredo
She added that Trillanes’ accusations were unfair for Robredo and Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, whom Trillanes claimed asked him to hold any ICC arrest warrant against Duterte as it could affect his chances in the last midterm elections.
The former president was arrested last March 11, a month after the campaign period for the midterms began.
“I cannot speak on behalf of VP/Mayor Leni, but I find that claim difficult to believe. Her public record speaks to the contrary,” she said.
De Lima pointed out that just last March 16, Robredo told the media that Duterte’s arrest was a “first step toward accountability and justice.”
The current Naga City mayor also said she could not help but compare Duterte’s ordeal to that of De Lima, who was imprisoned on trumped-up drug charges for seven years before finally being acquitted in 2023.
“As a friend and ally, I can attest to VP/Mayor Leni’s unwavering commitment to justice and human rights. 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,” she said.
De Lima urged Trillanes not to “hand ammunition to those who wish to see the democratic opposition fragmented and discredited” and to “mistake allies for enemies.”
“It’s sad, because whoever else is with us in the fight, they are the ones who are being pelted with doubt and accusation. This is not the time to be suspicious. This is not the time to argue,” she added.
Friends with Sara
Trillanes’ statements fueled concerns about a fractured opposition especially after Aquino and Sen. Francis Pangilinan joined the Senate majority, leaving Sen. Risa Hontiveros in the Senate minority.
For Trillanes, “There is really an alliance [between Robredo and Duterte], there is one ever since, that’s the context. That’s why I said in 2028, I’m not inclined to support Leni because she is aligned and friends with Sara Duterte.”
In 2015, when Robredo was the vice presidential candidate of the Aquino III administration while former President Duterte was seeking the presidency as an opposition bet, Robredo met with Vice President Duterte in Davao City.
The Inquirer ran a story in December 2015 quoting Robredo as saying that she hoped “politics will not ruin our friendship,” referring to Vice President Duterte.
“Magkaibigan kami (We’re friends),” Robredo told reporters. “Even before, when I come [to Davao], I always find time to talk to her. She was mayor when my husband was DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) secretary. So we’re friends.”
Naga visit
In September 2024, amid rumors of a split within the Uniteam of President Marcos, Vice President Duterte visited Robredo in Naga, as the city was celebrating the Peñafrancia Festival.
Robredo’s former spokesperson Barry Gutierrez confirmed this in a message to reporters, sending a statement from Robredo herself.
“While she was in Naga City for the Peñafrancia Festival, VP Sara Duterte took the opportunity to visit me at my home. The conversation we had was personal and not political,” Robredo said.
A statement from the Office of the Vice President then said that Duterte was invited by a friend to Naga to experience the Peñafrancia Festival. The same friend then supposedly arranged a casual meeting between Duterte and Robredo.