Category: Philippine Star

A worker was killed when an improvised explosive device went off at a rubber plantation in Sumisip, Basilan yesterday.

John Roy Alvarez, 35, of the Mangal Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development Cooperative died while being treated at the Basilan General Hospital in Isabela City.

Alvarez was tapping rubber latex at a farm located in Barangay Mangal when an explosion occurred at around 7:30 a.m., according to Sumisip police chief Capt. Jakaria Muin.

Meanwhile, a man was wounded after he was shot by the caretaker of another rubber plantation in Lamitan City.

Tahir Jadjuri, 58, was passing through the farm in Barangay Sengal when the suspect, identified as Manding Sumampil, engaged him in a spat.

Probers said that Sumampil, who was drunk, allegedly drew a gun and shot the victim before fleeing.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government said the systems upgrade done in September to the DILG Unified 911 Hotline has drastically reduced the number of prank and fraudulent calls to just 0.17 percent this year.

DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla, in a speech during the 24th Emergency 911 Commission Conference, said the upgraded Unified 911 system successfully handled 872,586 of the 884,809 calls from Sept. 8 to 24 – achieving an efficiency rate of 98.62 percent.

Of the total calls, Remulla said 1,495 were considered prank while another 12,223 were listed as dropped or abandoned.

Remulla said the sharp decline in prank calls is largely credited to system modernization, which now includes a geolocation tracking capability and an active caller directory that deprioritizes repeat prank callers and improves caller verification.

He added that the reduction in the number of prank calls this year is a major milestone in public safety communications, when compared to last year’s record.

According to the Philippine National Police, the drop in the number of prank calls resulted in a 400-percent increase in legitimate 911 calls requesting assistance from the PNP.

In its report, the PNP said the legitimate calls for police assistance rose from 4,634 to 19,761 – all of which were given the proper response.

Remulla reiterated his reminder for the public to use the hotline responsibly, warning that prank calls can delay or block life-saving emergency response.

He also stressed the need to link the National ID and SIM registration systems to the 911 system to further deter fraudulent or prank calls.

The DILG continues to expand the Unified 911 system by connecting with the dashboards and helpline of the Department of Health and Council for the Welfare of Children, respectively.

Remulla said the milestone reflects the government’s commitment to deliver a public service that works where it matters most, in support of President Marcos’ call for a faster, smarter and more compassionate Bagong Pilipinas.

At the recently concluded 2025 International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings, I was struck by the plenary speech of World Bank Group president Ajay Banga, which unfortunately was not appreciated here by most local media as our focus in the past few weeks has been on the legislative and infrastructure corruption issue.

However, I felt the need to bring attention to what Banga said, especially his view on the need to focus on creating the conditions for opportunity and stability, alongside rebuilding from the damages caused by war in conflict areas.

According to Banga, ‘We are living through one of the great demographic shifts in human history. By 2050, more than 85 percent of the world’s population will live in countries we call ‘developing’ today.

‘In just the next 10 to 15 years, 1.2 billion young people will enter the workforce – vying for roughly 400 million jobs. That leaves a very large gap.’

He cited that around ‘four young people will step into the global workforce every second over the next 10 years. So in the time it takes to deliver these remarks, tens of thousands will cross that threshold – full of ambition, impatient for opportunity.’

The pace of population growth, Banga said, is most staggering in Africa, which will be home to one in four people by 2050.

‘Between now and then estimates suggest: These young people – with their energy and ideas – will define the next century.

‘With the right investments – focused not on need, but opportunity – we can unlock a powerful engine of global growth.’

However, the WB president warned, ‘Without purposeful effort, their optimism risks turning into despair – fueling instability, unrest and mass migration – with implications for every region and every economy.

‘This is why jobs must be at the center of any development, economic, or national security strategy.’

He continued, ‘But what do we mean by a job? It can mean working for a company and advancing through it to higher levels, or being employed at a small business. But it could also mean starting your own as an entrepreneur.

‘A job is more than a paycheck. It is what allows both women and men to pursue their aspirations. It’s purpose. It’s dignity. The anchor that holds families steady and the glue that keeps societies together.

‘It is the straightest line to stability – and the hardest progress to reverse once achieved.’

And that is exactly what our government officials here should likewise focus on – creating more jobs for our young, educated and eager Filipinos to stay in the country and work together to bring the Philippines to a higher level of economic growth.

Our employment statistics as of June showed a relatively high employment rate of 96.3 percent, an unemployment rate of just 3.7 percent and an underemployment rate of 11.4 percent.

Appears good, right? But a deeper dive on the employment statistics indicates that the jobs generated are in the services sector, accounting for 61.4 percent.

The agriculture sector, which includes our farmers and fisher folks and feeds our population of almost 117 million, provides employment for just 20.9 percent of our working population, while the industry sector accounts for just 17.7 percent.

Why am I not impressed with the employment statistics? Because as we all are aware, most of our college educated professionals are seeking employment abroad and it is their remittances that are helping prop up our economy.

But as WB president Banga pointed out, the global youth statistics show that more and more young people globally are joining the workforce and competing for the best jobs available in the global market.

With more Filipinos seeking white collar jobs, our agriculture sector which should be an income earner, continues to languish because our farmers and fisherfolks are aging and their children do not want to work in the agriculture sector, thus forcing the government to rely on imports.

Not being able to capitalize on own agriculture sector to provide us with our own basic staples and provide us with potential export income is already a big economic mistake, and yet our government wants to convince us that importations are still the best way to provide us what we need, instead of concentrating on increasing our own agricultural production.

What worries me, and is overshadowed by politics and corruption issues, is the continuing decline in the quality of education in our country. Even in our important agriculture sector, there is hardly any interest from young Filipinos to study any agriculture related courses that could benefit the sector.

The rankings of our educational institutions in international education surveys show an alarming deterioration.

Even for our own high-tech requirements, I have noticed that more and more foreign Information Technology guys are being hired.

As I recently wrote, even the entry-level IT and business process outsourcing jobs are being reduced as Artificial Intelligence (AI) takes over the more basic BPO requirements.

Upskilling is the new battlecry, but again education is the problem, and the current education secretary is in the midst of a political storm that is also caught up in the corruption controversy.

Likewise, I’ve noticed that our young workforce survive on gig jobs that may initially appear lucrative, but does not really provide the social safety nets that they will have to rely on as they grow old.

Moving from one lucrative gig job to another may bring in the cash, but most of the young workers I’ve had the opportunity to talk and interact with have no concern about their future medical needs, simply because they are young and do not face any medical attention so far.

But as my fellow columnists Boo Chanco and Cito Beltran have written in their own columns, the medical cost as one ages becomes a terrible burden because the government, once again, has failed us in providing that social safety net.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters weathered a blistering third quarter storm by the Blackwater Bossing with a massive fourth quarter of their own to grab a 110-100 victory in their PBA Philippine Cup clash Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Painters lost an 18-point lead as they trailed by eight in the third quarter, but they recovered just in time to return to the win column.

Keith Datu powered the Painters with 20 points and eight rebounds, while Adrian Nocum and Jhonard Clarito backstopped with 17 and 16 markers, respectively.

Rain or Shine took an 18-point lead, 40-22, in the second quarter after a jumper by Nocum.

The double-digit advantage remained through the third quarter, as a split from the line by Gabe Norwood gave them a 60-48 lead.

But a 17-4 run capped by a triple by Richard Escoto gave the Bossing the edge, 65-64.

A Santi Santillan triple gave the upper hand back to Rain or Shine, 67-65, but Blackwater’s hot run continued as they went up by eight, 77-69, after a trey by Sedrick Barefield, the last points of the team’s 36 points in the quarter.

But the Painters found their rhythm anew in the final frame. After a jumper by Cliff Jopia made it a one-point game, 90-91, with 5:42 left, Rain or Shine unleashed a 10-1 run led by Nocum to grab a 101-91 advantage.

Consecutive shots by Christian David kept Blackwater alive, but finishing touches by Anton Asistio, Clarito and Nocum iced the game.

Gian Mamuyac chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and five assists for Rain or Shine.

Escoto spearheaded the Bossing with 20 points and four rebounds, while Jack Cruz-Dumont had 19 points. David and Barefield have 18 and 15 markers, respectively.

More than 40 impoverished Moro families have fled to safer areas after two feuding groups, locked in a rido (clan war) and armed with assault rifles and grenade launchers, clashed three times in Barangay Barungis, in the newly created Bangsamoro Ligawasan town in Cotabato province on October 22.

Rido is a generic term for clan conflict in most Moro and other Southern Mindanao vernaculars.

Brig. Gen. Ricky Bunayog, commander of the 602nd Infantry Brigade, and Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, told reporters on Friday that officials of the 40th Infantry Battalion and local executives in Ligawasan had, through initial backchannel efforts, repositioned the two armed groups away from each other. However, evacuees remain reluctant to return to their villages for fear of renewed hostilities.

The gunfights that forced residents to abandon their homes involved the rival groups of Taib Sampulna and Mackly Adam, both identified with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The two groups are embroiled in deep-seated political disputes and territorial control issues in Ligawasan – one of eight Bangsamoro towns in Cotabato’s Special Geographic Area that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliament created last year through separate legislative measures.

Municipal officials and traditional Moro leaders said last Wednesday’s clashes in Sitio Tuka, Barangay Barungis, left one fatality on each side and wounded four others.

‘We will help bring the displaced Moro families back to their villages,’ Bunayog said.

He added that Ligawasan Mayor Ismael Mama, along with barangay leaders and 40th IB officials, are working together to broker peace between the Sampulna and Adam groups.

Mama said he has sent emissaries to both sides to convince them to reconcile and coexist peacefully in Barangay Barungis.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said he would no longer write to the Senate leadership to seek the enforcement of a 2016 dismissal order against Sen. Joel Villanueva as it turned out that there was a ‘secret decision’ issued by former ombudsman Samuel Martires reversing the order.

‘To my surprise, when I got to the office [today], I was confronted with a decision signed by former ombudsman Martires dated July 2019,’ Remulla told reporters in a press briefing yesterday.

‘It (Martires’ decision) suddenly came out when I said that I will do something about the dismissal order. So, it’s a surprise, a secret decision,’ he added.

In an interview with ANC’s ‘Headstart’ yesterday morning, Remulla said he will personally hand a letter to Senate President Vicente Sotto III asking for the implementation of the dismissal order against Villanueva as the latter was previously found guilty by the ombudsman of administrative offenses of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Later in the day, however, Villanueva released excerpts of a July 2019 decision signed by Martires granting the senator’s motion for reconsideration and ordered the dismissal of the administrative and criminal complaints against him.

Martires later confirmed to reporters that he dismissed the complaints against Villanueva.

‘Well, nobody was raising that issue before. Joel Villanueva kept quiet throughout the years, Ombudsman Martires never spoke about it. So, it’s like a secret decision. Nobody knows about it,’ Remulla said.

Remulla, however, maintained that he was not pinning down Villanueva but was just taking action on a dismissal order, which he honestly believed remained valid yet unenforced.

‘That decision was never published, never released. Nobody knew about it. Even in the Senate they did now about it. Don’t you call that a secret decision?’ he said.

‘It is not harassment. It is what everybody thinks is still valid, but turned out to be not valid anymore due to a secret decision,’ he added.

Fake news

Villanueva decried harassment after Remulla said he would send a letter to the Senate leadership to enforce a 2016 dismissal order.

‘We already anticipated possible HARASSMENT, plus FAKE NEWS,’ Villanueva said in a Viber group with reporters.

He showed to the media a clearance from the ombudsman that he does not have any criminal or administrative cases before the agency as of Sept. 9 2025. He also showed the media a certification from the Sandiganbayan saying he is ‘not an accused or defendant in any case filed in this Court.’

Villanueva shared with reporters a 2019 ‘indorsement’ letter by Assistant Ombudsman Jose Balmeo Jr. to Sotto, at the time also Senate President informing of the ombudsman’s grant of the senator’s motion for reconsideration (MR).

Villanueva said he will soon file cases against the ‘fake news spreaders’ against him.

Villanueva was dismissed and perpetually disqualified from public office by then ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales in 2016 over his alleged misuse of pork barrel funds.

But the Senate took the cudgels for their colleague by voting in plenary to adopt its legal opinion that the ombudsman has no disciplinary authority over members of Congress.

In 2019, then ombudsman Martires granted Villanueva’s MR thus reversing the senator’s dismissal from service.

Senate, Martires must explain – law expert

The Senate and former ombudsman Martires should explain Villanueva’s dismissal order has been ignored and, eventually, junked in secret, according to Domingo Cayosa, a former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Cayosa said the Villanueva’s dismissal should still be examined despite Ombudsman Remulla backing out from his earlier attempt to enforce it.

Cayosa lamented that the public was not able to discover that Villanueva’s dismissal order was reversed by Martires in 2019, as claimed by his successor.

‘You have to explain why you are reversing because the earlier decision, dismissing him and holding him accountable was not a personal decision. It’s based on evidence and law,’ Cayosa told ‘Storycon’ on One

Team Liquid Philippines and Aurora are one match away from qualifying to the M7 World Championships as they bested ONIC Philippines and TNC Pro Team, respectively, in the upper bracket semifinals of the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 16 Playoffs.

In the match of the world champions, dubbed ‘The Golden Rivalry’, Team Liquid Philippines swept ONIC Philippines, 3-0, to avenge all its losses against the Super Family during the regular season. From start to finish, the stampede was at full speed, leaving ONIC Philippines in the dust as Team Liquid relegated the second seed to the lower bracket.

On the other side of the bracket, Aurora and TNC went all the way to Game 5 as both teams were hungry to stay in the upper bracket.

Aurora’s Edward “Edward” Dapadap and Dylan “Light” Catipon held the front lines as they took the series opener, but Game 2 saw TNC’s jungler Justine “Zaida” Palma take charge to tie the series.

In Game 3, TNC’s early lead was erased in one team fight by the evolved lord, which turned the tides in favor for Aurora.

Not backing down, TNC survived a 25-minute back-and-forth match thanks to their roamer, Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog, who earned MVP honors with his key assists on the hero Khaleed, to help force a deciding Game 5.

Game 5 saw a repeat of Game 3 with TNCs’ lead once again being erased in just one team fight with Aurora taking the lord, turning the tides, and eventually wiping out TNC to take the series and drop the Phoenix Army to the lower brackets.

The playoffs continue Friday with the upper bracket finals matchup between Team Liquid versus Aurora at 3 p.m., followed by the lower bracket semis duel between ONIC Philippines and TNC Pro Team at 7 p.m.

True to its mission of championing the well-being of its people, Mynt, the parent company of leading finance super app GCash, is enhancing its medical and financial support for its employees-reflecting a deep commitment to compassion and holistic care.

As part of its Alagang GCash program and to further strengthen its health and wellness campaign, this partnership with AC Health aims to ensure that GCash Kabarkadas receive comprehensive cancer care, supporting them throughout their entire treatment journey.

The Healthway Medical Network will also provide essential support for the program by offering a range of preventive care and treatment services to employees, including vaccinations and health screenings at their facilities.

Developed to redefine employee support, the Alagang GCash program provides holistic care to its workforce. It aims to address every aspect of well-being-financial, physical, mental, emotional and familial-and set a new benchmark for employee benefits in the Philippine digital finance sector.

‘What we’re doing is we’re making our benefits better, especially for cancer care, so that we’re more worry-free. It’s our attempt to tell you that you’re not alone when these things happen,’ said Martha Sazon, president and CEO of Mynt.

“At Mynt, we believe that caring for our people means supporting every part of their well-being-from health to financial security, and even emotional resilience. Through Alagang GCash and our partnership with AC Health, we want our employees to feel that they are never alone in their journey, especially during life’s most difficult battles,” Mynt chief people officer Robert Gonzales added.

The event brought together the Mynt leadership team and its partners to solidify its commitment through the Working with Cancer Pledge-from the cancer care standee to the ribbon pins worn proudly by its employees.

The Working with Cancer Pledge rallies companies and organizations around the world to erase the stigma of cancer and create an environment where employees impacted by cancer feel supported in the workplace.

The new comprehensive cancer care benefit of Mynt includes a reimbursable allowance for cancer prevention and screening, building on the existing coverage for annual medical check-ups, vaccines and wellness.

In addition, the company will now cover any remaining cancer-related treatment and hospitalization expenses for employees that exceed their current HMO and critical illness benefits.

Employees diagnosed with cancer will also be granted an additional 60 paid leaves, while those with dependents who are battling this serious illness will be entitled to an additional 30 paid leaves so they can take care of them. These are in addition to their annual vacation leaves, sick leaves and paid time off.

As part of its holistic approach to care, Mynt will provide access to a psychologist specialized in supporting cancer patients and employees with loved ones facing a cancer diagnosis, helping them navigate the emotional challenges and strengthen their mental well-being.

Mynt will also assign a case manager who can conduct home visits, as needed, to help patients with their recovery. Additionally, employees will have access to a pool of caregivers, if needed.

Employees diagnosed with terminal cancer may claim up to 100% of their life insurance benefit during their treatment journey.

Through Alagang GCash, the company underscores its commitment to holistic employee wellness, ensuring that every Kabarkada is supported not just at work but in their overall health and well-being.

A recent study by research institution Social Weather Stations found that praying is the top activity for adult Filipinos when experiencing stress.

A non-commissioned face-to-face survey conducted the week of September 24 to 1,500 Filipino adults nationwide were asked the following question with a single answer: “Paano po Ninyo nilalabanan ang stress [What do you do to cope with stress]?”

Three hundred people each were surveyed in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao and 600 from the rest of Luzon, resulting in ±3% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The top answer nationwide was praying or engaging in spiritual activities at 16% closely, followed by sleeping or resting at 14% and going out or taking a leisure trip at 11%.

Ways Filipinos cope with stress – SWS Third Quarter 2025

Survey period: Sept 24-30, 2025

Most common coping mechanisms (percent)

Praying

16%

Resting / sleeping

14%

Going out

11%

Thinking positively

7%

Focusing on school / work

6%

Ignoring the problem

6%

Spending time with family

5%

Exercising / going for a walk

5%

Playing sports / e-games

4%

Doing household chores

4%

Showing top 10 responses. Values taken from SWS Third Quarter 2025 national survey.

Other responses (4% or less) include: talking with friends/neighbors; watching TV/movies; eating; singing/listening to music; browsing social media; drinking alcohol; gardening/farming; smoking; crying; seeking medical help. | Philstar.com chart

Thinking positively was another popular answer for 7% of respondents while focusing on work or school and ignoring the problem were both answered 6% of the time.

When broken down by gender, praying is more common among women (20%) than men (12%), where more of the latter would rather sleep or go out (14% and 13% respectively). 14% of women cope with stress by sleeping while 7% do so by thinking positively.

One notable comparison across gender lines was that 8% of men cope with stress by playing sports or online games, response gained from only 1% of female respondents.

Praying was also the top answer for all of Luzon, including Metro Manila (combined 35%) while respondents from Visayas (15%) and Mindanao (19%) answered sleeping more.

Additionally, in Metro Manila, sleeping tied with ignoring the problem as the next most popular response (both 10%) followed by another tie, going out and watching television or movies (both 8%).

Finally, some glimmers of progress.

The Independent Commission for Infrastructure has had an epiphany, announcing that ICI proceedings will be livestreamed, with occasional executive sessions.

At the Supreme Court, the original Chamber of Secrets where ICI chair Andres Reyes Jr. used to sit as associate justice, the spokesperson indicated that the SC justices are ready to release to the public their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN), subject to certain rules that the requesting party must meet.

This commitment to transparency, however, must pass the test of sincerity. If the old SC rules governing SALN access remain in place, this statement is pure BS.

The SC was the first to make it nearly impossible for the public to get hold of its members’ precious SALNs. Malacañang and Congress during the Duterte administration quickly followed, backed by then ombudsman Samuel Martires.

With new Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla lifting the unconstitutional and illegal order of Martires, we’re seeing a gradual return to the pre-Duterte practice of releasing SALNs.

Last Tuesday, both Senate President Tito Sotto and Speaker Faustino Dy III released their latest SALNs, declaring net worths of P188 million and P74 million, respectively.

Gosh, we even heard Andres Reyes speaking in public for the first time about the ICI probe. The extent of the corruption, as narrated by those who have faced the ICI, ‘makes me cry,’ he told senators.

Meanwhile, the Sandiganbayan, probably pricked by Remulla’s lament about corruption cases being dismissed due to ‘inordinate delay,’ announced on Tuesday that the anti-graft court could finish trying flood control cases within six to eight months.

That was a timetable given by Remulla, factoring in even the delaying tactics employed by defendants.

Since the cases involve malversation of amounts larger than P8.8 million, the offense will be a major one that under the law can warrant life in prison. It won’t allow bail once arrest warrants are issued by the Sandiganbayan, Remulla told The STAR’s online show ‘Truth on the Line’ last Tuesday.

In the coming days, he hopes to meet with representatives of Congress, the SC and the Sandiganbayan, so they can be in sync in the efforts to eliminate ‘inordinate delay’ in the administration of justice.

If Remulla’s timetable would be followed, we could be seeing certain VIPs behind bars while awaiting trial, denied bail even in the spirit of Christmas. Or even before Nov. 30, the date set for more anti-corruption rallies, which could be bigger than those on Sept. 21.

Much will depend on what happens in the ongoing probes. The livestreaming by the ICI removes one of the causes of discontent. Sen. Panfilo Lacson is also ‘100 percent’ certain of returning as chair of the Blue Ribbon committee, according to Tito Sen.

So when will resigned speaker Martin Romualdez face charges, be covered by an immigration lookout bulletin and have his assets frozen, like his perceived right-hand-man, Elizaldy Co?

‘I will go where the evidence takes me,’ Remulla told me.

People had hoped that with the livestreaming of ICI proceedings beginning next week, the next appearance of Romualdez before the commission would no longer be held in secret.

But yesterday, the hopes were dashed as the ICI announced the postponement of the livestreaming, ostensibly while working out the mechanics of the system – something a typical GenZ could do pronto, with eyes closed.

Romualdez may complain about being singled out, but he is the principal argument of the Duterte camp and skeptics of the ICI’s work that the ongoing anti-corruption crackdown is selective, with the biggest fish being protected.

But the lone person accusing Romualdez of large-scale corruption, former Zaldy Co bodyguard Orly Guteza, is MIA. Guteza, an ex-Marine, has yet to face the ICI or the ombudsman, or even return to the Senate.

While waiting for Guteza to resurface, or his handlers to file formal complaints, Remulla is looking into the plunder case refiled by former senator Antonio Trillanes against Sen. Bong Go and Rodrigo Duterte.

Remulla has also said he would look into allegations of misuse of confidential funds by Sara Duterte as Vice president and when she was secretary of education. To speed things up in this area, Remulla said he would ask for records of the VP’s impeachment case from the House of Representatives.

By next month, Remulla sees seven to eight of the flood control cases being filed with the Sandiganbayan.

Aside from infrastructure projects, the ombudsman covers many other areas. Remulla has withdrawn the Pharmally case for a second look. The refiled case will likely include those that Martires allegedly shielded, notably Rodrigo Duterte and his former economic adviser (and accused drug trafficker) Michael Yang.

That’s a lot on Remulla’s plate, but two weeks into the job, his energy doesn’t seem to be flagging.

‘I’m 64. How many years do we have left to serve in this kind of capacity?’ he told me.

A 64-year-old typically is concerned about legacy. For Remulla, this means leaving to the next generations a much improved Office of the Ombudsman – with ‘the best people, who hold principles dear to the heart, who are willing to work for this country and move forward.’

And yes, he wants the agency to be feared: ‘talagang kakatakutan.’

‘Sometimes fear is the biggest deterrent for many Filipinos,’ he told me. ‘And maybe that’s the only way we can instill fear – by having a very, very efficient, working ombudsman.’

The Office of the Ombudsman, he stressed, is designed to be an ally or ‘kakampi’ of the people, ‘nakikipaglaban para sa taumbayan’ – one that fights for the citizenry.

That’s how the ombudsman is designed, he said: as a ‘protector of the people, a representative of the people.’