The whispers have graduated into full-blown chatter, and a recent Metro Manila sighting may have just turned speculation into something harder to dismiss.

A certain agency chief, known for moving in circles far above his pay grade, has been spotted once too often shadowing a powerful figure whose influence over the capital’s political weather is, shall we say, meteorological. She moves — things happen. She points — doors open. Some call it vision. Others call it sorcery.

“Why is he there? Why is he beside her? It seems to be happening more often,” a well-placed official whispered to Nosy Tarsee after clocking the pair at yet another function, their presence together wrapped in the usual gauze of goodwill.

Ah, yes. Good works. The oldest alibi.

The two do share a lane: helping the helpless, being seen helping the helpless, and, critically, being seen together while helping the helpless.

But our source isn’t buying the halo just yet.

“The man has baggage, heavy baggage. The kind you can’t check in — it follows you. If she doesn’t shake him loose, the fairy godmother narrative flips. Suddenly, she’s not the one holding the wand. She is the wand.”

The question, dear reader, is who’s doing the waving?