"The flood control projects worth billions and billions of pesos could have saved so many lives if it had gone to our public hospitals, to PhilHealth benefits. It could have saved so many young children from dying of malnutrition."

Lucas Bersamin’s appointment as the 40th executive secretary of the Philippines in Sept. 2022 was rather met with raised eyebrows. That was because it was common perception that his record as associate justice, later as chief justice, of the Supreme Court was not only lackluster. It was rather associated with cases of partisan political origins.

Despite a Duterte destab strategy that is now clearly built to oust Marcos and install Duterte, the reality was that the INC was not going to have any of it. And so there they were, the Duterte loyalists, standing in the midst of the crowd in Luneta, silenced by the INC leadership. It was a sight to behold.