Last Friday, Miriam Defensor Santiago, the epitome of sanity in the Senate, had threatened to file a resolution for the suspension or expulsion of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV for that November 29 stunt (she already did.). While Senate President Manny Villar thinks this resolution will not prosper and Senator Aquilino Pimentel says the opposition will block such a resolution, anything can happen. So, let us speculate who will vote for the resolution.

Assuming that resolution goes like this: “RESOLVED, that Antonio Trillanes IV be expelled from/suspended from being member of the Philippine Senate.” The vote will likely go this way:

Yes
Edgardo Angara
Joker Arroyo
Juan Ponce Enrile
Richard Gordon
Miriam Defensor Santiago
Juan Miguel Zubiri

No
Benigno Aquino III
Rodolfo Biazon
Alan Peter Cayetano
Francis Escudero
Jose Estrada
Panfilo Lacson
Loren Legarda
Ma. Consuelo Madrigal
Francis Pangilinan
Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
Manuel Roxas II
Manuel Villar

Maybe yes
Pia Cayetano
Gregorio Honasan
Manuel Lapid
Ramon Revilla Jr.

The possible NO senators who can switch to yes are:

* Estrada – We will now see if the pardon for Joseph Estrada will affect Jinggoy’s stance. Note Erap’s reaction to the Manila Pen affair.
* Lacson – If the gossip is true (that Ping Lacson is involved in the Thursday Pen affair), his voting YES will be a strong indication.
* Legarda – Cmon, she can switch sides like it is her second nature. Kidding aside, she is rather silent on the issue.
* Roxas – He always plays safe, so voting Yes will not be a surprise.
* Villar – Another play-safe senator, he claims that the Santiago resolution will not prosper. He knows how to switch sides at the right times. If he sees that the Trillanes caper is unpopular, he can always vote yes when the time comes, right?

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Mrs. Santiago should somehow reconsider her idea. Remember what she said in the days before the May 1 siege of the Fortress by the Pasig? Remember when she admitted to the entire universe that she lied when she claimed that she will commit suicide if Erap is impeached (well, he was removed from office extra-constitutionally)? Remember when she said that corruption originated in China? The opposition could have censured her (they should have), but they did not. Her ghosts will haunt her soon.