(Melchor Vergara contributed to this report)

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As Atty. Harry Roque stood on his soapbox, tirelessly railing against the administration of President Bongbong Marcos, the crowd—once sizable—had begun to disperse. Undeterred by the dwindling interest, Roque, with all the urgency of a man facing an empty auditorium, resorted to his last, desperate tactic: “Wait! Don’t leave just yet! I’ve got pancit and lumpia for everyone!” His voice quivered with a mix of desperation and hope, as if a well-timed spring roll could resurrect the fervor of the good old days.

But alas, it was not to be. Even the promise of free food could not mask the reality that his platform, once loud and bombastic, had lost its sheen. The few remaining onlookers exchanged glances, silently confirming what everyone knew: Roque’s message, like his snacks, was just not enough to keep people hungry for more.