Filipinos Deserve Better

OPEN LETTER TO FRANCISCO "KIKO" BARZAGA
June 03, 2026

Dear KB,

I do not have your number so an FB post is the next best thing.

Being different is okay.

It takes grit to be yourself in a world that rewards conformity. Not everyone will understand your choices or the path you take, and that's okay. What matters is staying true to who you are and what you believe in.

Ako man ay itinuturing na kakaiba. Ilang beses na akong tinawag na baliw, bobo, at kung anu-ano pa dahil lamang sa pagtangging sumunod sa nakasanayan.

You are different because you have never been convicted of child abuse, never brought home "maletas" of public funds, never allowed co***ne and alcohol to flow from your office, and never said yes to corruption and oppression.

Walking alone is okay, too.

It takes courage to charge forward even if no one will follow you. Your resolve is a daily reminder that character matters more than conformity. The strength you show inspires more Filipinos than you may ever know.

Alam kong may sipon ka ngayon. Uminom kang Vitamin C at damihan ang tubig na iniinom. Magpagaling ka.

Mahal ka ng Diyos, mga Caviteño, mga Dabawenyo, mga agila at ng mga pusa.

With my utmost respect,
Inday Sara

SARA Z. DUTERTE
Vice President of the Philippines

They can remove me.
They can kill me.
But they can never kill the rule of law.

When did 12 = 13?

Article VI of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states:
Sec. 2. "The Senate shall be composed of twenty four senators."
Sec. 16 (2). "A majority of each House shall constitute a quorum to do business.."

Rule II. Sec. 2. of the Senate Rules states, "The officers of the Senate shall be elected by the majority vote of all its members."

So today, when 12 senators convened and purportedly held session, how can that be valid?

They cite the case of Avelino vs. Cuenco where the Supreme Court considered 12 as the majority. But as any freshman law student knows, you can’t pull out the rationale of a case and use it to suit your needs. The specifics of the case are different. No less than the esteemed Fr. Joaquin Bernas stated in his book, and I quote: “this manner of approaching the subject can lead to the ridiculous should the majority of the legislative body be abroad and beyond the coercive power of the body." (The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines: A Commentary, 2009 ed.).

12 is not 13. Alam ng Grade 1 student yan.

'𝗪𝗔𝗚 𝗞𝗨𝗞𝗨𝗥𝗔𝗣 🇵🇭

If 12 senators cannot elect a Senate President because the Constitution requires 13 votes, how can the same 12 senators permanently remove the Senate President?