Not only did he make sure that he remains in the royal circle in Malacañang despite his resignation as Executive Secretary by crafting Administrative Order 1, creating the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff, and having himself appointed as its head, he even attempted to clothe himself with additional authority that dwarfs the powers of the "Little President."

For someone mired in disgraceful controversies and a subject of negative publicity, he certainly has impenitent guts to even think that he could get away with such a cunning and devious design.

The self-serving Special Order that the unrepentant glorified factotum of the President prepared contained a grant of powers that included the authority to:

"Sign and approve memoranda, administrative issuances and instruments, contracts, and administrative and financial documents;"

"Implement instructions for the efficient and effective operations of departments, agencies, and offices;"

"Implement policies and standards for the efficient and effective operations of the Office of the President and its attached agencies."

"Recommend to the President strategic decisions;"

"Provide good, wise, and honest counsel on important matters of policy;"

"Review papers for consideration, action, approval and signature of the President."

Wow! Such audacity and gumption!

As correctly opined by the current Chief Presidential Legal Counsel of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., former senator Juan Ponce Enrile Jr., the aforementioned powers overlap with the duties and functions of offices under the Executive branch, such as the Office of the Executive Secretary, the Presidential Management Staff, the Office of the Special Assistant to the President and the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.

Not only those offices aforementioned, if I may further add, but to all the line departments, offices and agencies. The powers the former ES wanted to give himself as Chief of Staff of the President are greater than what he exercised before as Executive Secretary.

Had the President not thumbed down the Special Order as strongly recommended by CPLC Enrile, the ensuing conflict between the Cabinet members and heads of offices and the Presidential Chief of Staff would have resulted in chaos, putting the Marcos Jr. presidency the object of the battering ram of critics and detractors.

As previously exercised, before the Office of the Chief of Staff of the President was abolished, the PCS merely assisted the President in routine daily functions, like preparing briefers for meetings, organizing and filing documents, arranging the President's schedule, making sure the President's and daily activities run smoothly without snafu. In words, the function of a chief of staff is one of staffing work, and not as envisioned and obsessed by the author of AO1 and SO as having the power to decide on matters of national policy, to review and sign important and consequential documents, to supervise or control any department, office or agency, and most of all to act for — and represent the President.

Whether or not the PCS will merely have the primary function of supervising and ensuring the efficient and responsive day-to-day operational support to the presidency remains to be seen.

It is in the best interest of the President and to preserve his political capital that his former ES be in the shadows and no longer be in the corridors of power.