FEBRUARY 17, 2026 — ACT Teachers Party List Rep. Antonio Tinio is calling out Adrian Bersamin, demanding he deny or explain supposed leaked messages tying him to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and flood control project kickbacks.

“Ilang araw nang nasa balita ang pangalan niya, ngunit kahit isang salita, wala tayong narinig sa kanya. Again, hinahamon ko si Usec. Adrian Bersamin, magsalita ka. So kung gusto mong i-deny, you're very welcome to deny. Nag-aantay po ang publiko. Basta nakita ko ang nakita ko, at tingin ko may kailangan kang ipaliwanag. So please explain to the public,” Tinio declared.

(It’s been days that his name has been in the news, but we haven’t heard a single word from him. Again, I challenge Usec. Adrian Bersamin, speak up. If you want to deny, you’re very welcome to deny. The public is waiting. I saw what I saw, and I think you need to explain. So please explain to the public.)

That’s not just a challenge — it’s a dare. And in Philippine politics, silence can be louder than any denial.

The alleged flood control texts

Tinio insists he saw records of communication between Bersamin and Marcos, shown by Batangas Rep. Leandro Leviste. These weren’t quick chats, he says, but months-long exchanges from December 2024 to July 2025. The topics? Flood control projects, alleged kickbacks, and other details that made the messages look “authentic.”

Rep. Egay Erice reportedly saw the same exchanges. 

But here’s the catch — Tinio never held Bersamin’s phone himself. He only saw the messages on Leviste’s computer. 

That detail alone fuels doubt. As Senator Ping Lacson put it, these are all mere “triple hearsay.” So is this hard evidence or just political smoke meant to spark fire?

Leviste’s retreat raises eyebrows

Leviste’s role is equally juicy. He showed Tinio the alleged messages before the Makabayan bloc filed an impeachment complaint against Marcos. Later, after the House Justice Committee junked the complaint as “insufficient in substance,” Leviste called for more meetings. But at the last minute, he backed out, saying he wanted Bersamin to release the information himself.

Why the sudden cold feet? Tinio hints at Leviste’s own motives, including his ongoing solar business case. 

Leviste himself issued a cryptic statement: “Lalabas ang ebidensiyang nagpapakita ng pagtanggap ng kickbacks sa tamang panahon. Ang ‘tamang panahon’ ay darating kapag ang may alam tungkol sa mga maanomalyang DPWH projects at kung sino ang nakatanggap ng kickbacks ay handa nang magsalita — at mangyayari ito kung ramdam nila na susuportahan at poprotektahan sila ng taumbayan kapag ibahagi nila ang katotohanan.”

(The evidence showing the acceptance of kickbacks will come out at the right time. That ‘right time’ will come when those who know about the anomalous DPWH projects and who received kickbacks are ready to speak — and it will happen if they feel the people will support and protect them when they share the truth.)

Now that’s a tease. And it leaves the public hanging.

Palace says no, public says hmm

Malacañang has denied any corruption allegations against the President. But l in our country, where infrastructure projects are often tainted by suspicion, a flat denial doesn’t kill the story. If anything, it makes people wonder more.

And Bersamin’s silence? It’s deafening. Tinio argues Bersamin’s role is “key” in connecting the alleged kickbacks to the President, yet investigations have consistently left him out. 

Is this protection, negligence, or political maneuvering?

This really isn’t just about the President. It’s also about whether taxpayer-funded projects are serving the people — or serving pockets. We have seen this script before, time and time again: accusations, denials, and silence. But now, in the age of screenshots and recordings, silence feels like an answer in itself.

Will Bersamin finally speak, or will silence continue to shield the truth about flood control kickbacks?

(Image: ACT Teachers Party-List | Facebook)