When the Heart Finally Breaks: Zaldy Co, the INC Rally, and a Nation Tired of Being Fooled

 *Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope, PhD, EdD, DM

It seems that I don’t know what to believe now, when there are hands shaking the jar and the truth scatters like confused ants—running in every direction, unsure of what is real. These days, I feel like I’m standing in the middle of a storm of statements, denials, accusations, explanations… and none of them feel sincere. None of them feel clean. Every word from anyone in power feels like it was washed first, filtered, polished, rehearsed, then delivered with trembling lips pretending to be firm.

 

And then Zaldy Co spoke—and the world seemed to tilt again.

The brown leather bag.

The alleged 100 billion pesos list.

The meeting inside Malacañang.

Names that once carried the weight of respect now tangled in the very web they promised to tear down.

 

I watched that video with a heaviness I cannot describe.

It was not anger.

It was not shock.

It was grief.

 

Grief because the betrayal feels so familiar.

Grief because the faces change, but the corruption feels the same.

Grief because we are again living inside a nightmare we have already escaped before—only to be dragged back into it.

 

And when the Iglesia Ni Cristo announced its rally for November 16 to 18, I felt something shift deep inside me. Because the INC does not stand lightly. When they step into the public square, it is not for noise. It is not for clout. It is not for self-interest. It is because conscience has become louder than comfort. Because patience has been stretched to its limits. Because even silence begins to feel sinful.

 

But behind this quiet courage lies a fear I cannot ignore.

 

There are people watching—waiting like vultures circling a wounded nation.

People who smell opportunity in chaos.

People who want power, not justice.

 

While the INC stands for accountability, these groups stand for ambition.

While INC members pray for clarity, these actors pray for a power vacuum.

While the people cling to hope, these political opportunists cling to their own agendas.

 

This is the danger.

Not the rally.

Not the INC.

Not the outcry for truth.

 

The danger is the ones who will use Zaldy Co’s revelations like a crowbar to pry open Malacañang for themselves.

 

And yet—despite these shadows—the Filipino people remain clear in their hearts:

 

We are not thinking about who will replace PBBM.

We are not choosing between President or Vice President.

We are not dreaming of coups or power shifts or “new saviors.”

 

We are simply longing for accountability—no matter where it leads.

 

If it points to the President, so be it.

If it points to the Vice President, so be it.

If it points to remnants of past administrations, so be it.

 

Walang pinipili ang taong sugatan.

Ang hinihingi lang namin ay katotohanan.

 

Because we are tired—God knows how tired we are.

 

Tired of the political time loop trapping this country like a curse.

Tired of seeing leaders rise like hope and fall like disappointments.

Tired of hearing promises that become jokes.

Tired of voting with hope only to wake up with regret.

 

Every election, we tell ourselves, “This time, maybe this time…”

But every election, we end up whispering, “Budol na naman tayo.”

 

It hurts, deeply, painfully, because we want to believe.

We want to trust.

We want to feel proud.

We want a leader we don’t have to explain or defend or excuse.

 

But instead, we end up explaining away our heartbreak.

We end up defending the indefensible.

We end up excusing behavior that wounds us again and again.

 

And so the INC rally becomes more than a protest—it becomes therapy for a wounded nation.

A moment for people to breathe.

To stand.

To say, “This is wrong. This cannot continue. Hindi na kami papayag na budol ulit.”

 

I imagine the INC members walking in calm lines, disciplined, principled, united—not shouting slogans, not seeking to overthrow, but simply standing there with their presence speaking louder than any megaphone:

 

ENOUGH.

Enough corruption.

Enough deception.

Enough political drama disguised as governance.

 

I imagine the quiet heartbreak in every INC member’s eyes.

The heartbreak of loving this country too deeply.

The heartbreak of watching leaders play with power while ordinary Filipinos drown in the consequences.

 

This rally is not a rebellion.

It is a plea.

A plea for truth.

A plea for dignity.

A plea for decency.

 

And if Zaldy Co is lying, then let justice expose him.

If he is telling the truth, then let justice climb up the ladder—even if it reaches the highest floors of power.

 

But most of all, let this be the last time the nation whispers,

“Budol na naman kami.”

 

Let this be the moment we finally say,

“Hinding-hindi na.”

 

Even if the jar is shaking.

Even if truth feels foggy.

Even if politicians tremble.

 

The Filipino people are standing—quietly, peacefully, emotionally—but standing nonetheless.

 

And when the people stand like this…

with broken hearts but unbroken resolve…

power itself begins to fear

 ____

 *About the author:

Dr. Rodolfo “John” Ortiz Teope is a distinguished Filipino academic, public intellectual, and advocate for civic education and public safety, whose work spans local academies and international security circles. With a career rooted in teaching, research, policy, and public engagement, he bridges theory and practice by making meaningful contributions to academic discourse, civic education, and public policy. Dr. Teope is widely respected for his critical scholarship in education, management, economics, doctrine development, and public safety; his grassroots involvement in government and non-government organizations; his influential media presence promoting democratic values and civic consciousness; and his ethical leadership grounded in Filipino nationalism and public service. As a true public intellectual, he exemplifies how research, advocacy, governance, and education can work together in pursuit of the nation’s moral and civic mission.

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