Photo credit: Team Trillanes - Caloocan

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV has been actively engaging with the people of Caloocan, a city rumored to be his next target in his quest to return to public office.

Caloocan City is part of the National Capital Region.

In his bid to expand his reach and gain media mileage, Trillanes is leveraging his long-standing feud with former President Rodrigo Duterte.

He recently filed plunder charges against Duterte and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go before the Department of Justice (DOJ), accusing them of facilitating corrupt practices in the award of 184 government contracts worth more than P6 billion.

In a detailed 30-page complaint, Trillanes alleges that from 2007 to 2018, CLTG Builders, owned by Go’s father Deciderio, was awarded 125 government contracts worth approximately P4.9 billion.

Meanwhile, Alfrego Builders, owned by Go’s brother Alfredo, secured 59 government projects worth P1.74 billion. Trillanes claims that both companies lacked the required contractors’ licenses to undertake such large-scale projects, with many contracts exceeding their allowable cost limits.

Despite these allegations, Senator Go remains highly ranked in recent surveys. Trillanes’ strategy, reminiscent of the "Binay formula," might face challenges with less than a year until the 2025 Senatorial elections.

Trillanes, a Navy officer, comes from a military family; his father was also a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). His wife, Army Captain Arlene Orejana-Trillanes, is a member of PMA Class 1997.

However, Trillanes is no stranger to controversy. He has consistently called out officials like former Vice President Jejomar Binay and former Senator Rcihard Gordon, and he has clashed with former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, who accused him of conducting "backdoor" deals with China.

Former President Duterte also accused Trillanes of committing treason in 2012 for engaging in backchannel talks with Chinese officials over the West Philippine Sea. Duterte claims that after Trillanes’ 16 visits to China, the Philippines lost the Scarborough Shoal, impacting the livelihood of Filipino fishermen.

Former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III confirmed that Trillanes acted as a backchannel negotiator with China during the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal standoff, although Aquino did not specify who approached Trillanes for this role.

These discreet negotiations and his spending habits during his tenure as senator may have contributed to his loss in the 2022 Senatorial elections. In 2008, Trillanes was the fourth biggest spender in the Senate, with expenses totaling P17.281 million, as reported by the Commission on Audit (COA).

Transitioning from a national position to a local seat is challenging, particularly for a former senator like Trillanes, who aims to court an estimated 700,000 voters in one of the country’s largest cities. His public crusade against the Dutertes and Senator Bong Go may not resonate with the people of Caloocan, who may prefer Mayor Along Malapitan.

Malapitan, currently serving his first term as Chief Executive of the city, follows in the footsteps of his father, Oscar “Oca” Malapitan, who completed the prior maximum three terms or nine years as mayor.

Local campaigns differ significantly from national ones, and regular appearances on national television do not guarantee local support.

In Trillanes’ case, the residents of Caloocan may remain skeptical of his ability to lead them as their next mayor.