Tarlac State University - The Oracle

𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐡.

“In this bloodbath and bludgeoning, I will be bloodied but unbowed,” she said with a smile on her face.

She is confident. She is unbothered. The Vice President appeared unfazed after missing the first day of trials for her impeachment. Be it a face of innocence or confidence born from a lie rehearsed multiple times, one thing’s certain. Her people have been long drowning in this bloodbath of a country, bludgeoned by the reality those in power have carefully crafted, yet we remained unbowed.

Watching the current political scheme of the country unfold left me entertained, disturbed, and questioning behind every political move over the past couple of months. Sen. Dela Rosa is in a goose chase with the ICC for crimes against humanity; Sen. Estrada was arrested for plunder and graft in connection with the flood control anomalies; the boycott of the half the Senators from the senate; and the arrest of Sen. Marcoleta for a highly unusual case of plunder which prompted a 3-day rally at EDSA. Each controversy, each arrest; it all leads to one road-the very dramatic, historical, and controversial Impeachment of Sara Duterte.

Her defense counsel preached the Filipino’s freedom to choose their leaders. They emphasized the millions of people who seated her- more than the number of votes cast for the seating president, and much greater than any of the votes secured by each of the members of the House of Representatives who impeached her. Democracy indeed demands the respect of the voice of the people.

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲.

No amount of votes grants political immunity. In fact, it is even more crucial that a person in power with that wide influence among people is held accountable for that trust. It is not only a test of transparency but a test to the strength of the constitution.

Hence, it is truly perplexing to hear the call to halt the impeachment trials. A proper venue has already opened for the Vice President to prove her innocence. It gets one questioning how bloody someone’s closet is for it to be guarded by so many.

Remember, blind loyalty is a voluntary stripping of one’s rights.

Citizens should not close their eyes to the sins of whom they trusted. 𝐁𝐞 𝐏𝐑𝐎-𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐎, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐑𝐎-𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐊𝐎.

When alliances become more important than the constitution, our democracy crumbles. From social media to real life, it seems as though everyone already has a verdict. Guilty or not guilty, but almost no one is as interested in the actual truth as they are in proving themselves right. But for us, the ones bleeding in the harsh reality of being at the foot of the ruling class, fear emerges.

Perhaps, the fear shared by most of us is not even on the outcome of this trial, but whether justice can truly prevail when politics come into play. There is a lingering anxiety that despite the evidence on hand, testimonies playing, witnesses unveiling; political loyalty might outweigh constitutional duty. These politicians should answer to the people, not to certain families, political parties, or alliances.

𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞.

The Filipino people deserve the peace of mind that the constitution will be upheld no matter who sits in the palace.

Legal processes should not be reduced to mere political weapons. Courts, investigations, and impeachment-these are not swords made to be wielded by those in power against their foes. The constitution is above any power. The moment we allow it to become instruments of power and not the safeguard of justice, the essence of our constitution is diminished, reduced, and trampled upon.

Unfortunately, the Philippines already resembles a bloody game of chess where everyone is a pawn to be fed for a victory.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐧. 𝐑𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐚

The recent plunder allegations against Sen. Marcoleta further deepened the Filipino’s political divide. Adding controversy to the brouhaha, supporters were criticized for shielding a politician accused of criminal acts. Some say it is the mere exercise of their right to protest for what they believe to be a politically motivated persecution. But no matter how loud they were, the court's order to arrest Sen. Marcoleta was indeed louder.

But regardless of where one stands, questions arise from different angles.

What does a "dept of gratitude" entail between a then-congressman and businessmen? Why was the "P75 Million contribution" concealed?

However, the concerns raised by Marcoleta’s supporters-that this is just power in play to influence the impeachment trials-cannot be easily dismissed. Because the case is truly peculiar, and the timing is rather perfect. A case already dismissed by the COMELEC yet reopened by the Ombudsman. A case built on three combined contributions to reach the plunder threshold yet claims three separate plunder charges. It is indeed unusual. Is this justice long overdue? Or truly a political persecution?

The question of his innocence and guilt is for the court to answer, but the question of the power play behind this is a harder nut to crack. This is the system the people were left with, it serves the powerful. Uncertain, grappling, barely hanging.

This is what the constitution has warned us.

It is what the constitution was designed to protect us from. Today, it is under test whether it’ll champion- or the people will remain loyal to their political parties instead of democratic principles.

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

Regardless of who wins among them, the Filipino people remain the losers. The promise of our president and vice president for a Bagong Pilipinas when they ran side by side, hand in hand, united, was never fulfilled to us, the people. Poverty, abuse, corruption, hunger, illiteracy, low wages, inflation, persecution, division; we are still suffering. We were scammed, and it is rather surprising that we express more outrage in online scams than broken political promises.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬?

Perhaps, the greatest danger is not in the bloodbath among these politicians. The greater danger is that the Filipino people have begun to accept this as their normal.

This is what the Philippines has become: a vice president under impeachment trials; senators in prison; another is a fugitive to the international court; while the rest of the senate is clearly divided into two separate parties of different lords.

So let’s be wary. For if we are to emerge from this bloodbath, it is important that we see who exactly wields the sword as we hold the constitution in our guards. Because in the end, the people will prevail. We always do.

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Report by VietnameseLatte
Cartoon by SpanishLatte
Layout by MatchaLatte
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𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀 • 𝗔𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀 • 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘀

𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 | Sen. Marcoleta faces arrest in P75M plunder case

The Sandiganbayan ordered the arrest of Senator Rodolfo Dizon Marcoleta today, July 6, 2026, in Quezon City, in connection with a plunder charge.

Marcoleta faces a non-bailable offense as prosecutors alleged that he failed to disclose P75 Million in campaign contributions during the 2025 elections.

In response, Marcoleta denied the allegations against him, together with Former congressman Mike Defensor, and businessmen Joseph Espiritu and Aristotle Viray.

Defensor also faces a plunder case amounting to 30 million pesos, while Viray and Espiritu face separate plunder charges of 25 million pesos and 20 million pesos respectively.

In an interview in the Daily Tribune, he reminds the public that this is just the process of the law after his party’s motion for deferment was calendared for hearing—stating that this is a good indication of the law.

“Ako ay hindi magtatago, haharapin ko ang batas…sang-ayon sa pagkakaintindi ko sa mga batas natin," he stated.

A reporter then asked for a statement towards the Iglesia ni Cristo, since Marcoleta is affiliated to the religious group, but he refused to talk further.

Marcoleta’s case is expected to move forward, along with the political tensions under the impeachment of VP Sara on the same day.
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Report by Lexter Kian Pamintuan
Layout by Dean Capiendo
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𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀 • 𝗔𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀 • 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘀