In a riveting episode of political theater, Filipinos eagerly awaited a showdown between actress Maricel Soriano and Senator Bato de la Rosa’s committee, anticipating fireworks over alleged drug allegations involving Soriano and President Bongbong Marcos. Yet, the much-hyped testimony fizzled into a farce as Soriano faced mere trifles from the senator, leaving viewers wondering if they had tuned into a sitcom rather than a high-stakes inquiry. While Soriano, a vocal critic of the Marcos regime, might have expected a grilling akin to a celebrity roast, she instead found herself in a surreal pantomime of political theater, with Bato seemingly star-struck by her mere presence. In a tale of starlight and stardom, the spectacle left audiences questioning if the real drama was unfolding on the stage or in the halls of power. Starlight, star-bright, star-struck indeed—a performance worthy of an Oscar in political satire.