Saturday afternoon I saw the replay of the week’s episode of Forum 2007. The episode featured senatorial candidates Joker Arroyo, Zosimo Paredes, and Aquilino Pimentel III. Panelists were Maria Ressa, Alexander Lacson, and Andres Bautista (I hope I got the two gentlemen’s names right).

I was not able to watch the show in its entirety, but I got to see the second half, where the panelists asked the candidates a question plus a followup.

I pity Joker Arroyo. Here is a great man reduced to the absurdities of his reasoning, which is pathetic and sad.

When a panelist asked why he joined Team Unity, he said that the opposition was against the Constitution because it did not condemn the supposed coup last year, that the opposition’s only aim is to impeach Gloria Arroyo. Yet he joined the administration slate, whose titular head is Gloria Arroyo, whose administration violated the Constitution several times. I can only shake my head.

Then when asked why he did not go the way that Francis Pangilinan went, he said that in times of crises, you must take a stand, there’s no room for being neutral. At least we know where Senator Arroyo stands, no? BTW, nice cheap shot, Mr. Arroyo. I wonder what Pangilinan will say about this.

And lastly, Joker Arroyo knows he made an unpopular and illogical decision, and he has to defend it again and again and again. His decision is indefensible and he knows it. He knows that the reason he gave for joing TU is a lie. As Mark Twain had said “If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.” Well, you get the idea.

Patricia Evangelista’s column yesterday reveals Joker’s true colors. Poor man.

And, as Willy Prilles had said,

But as apologists for the administration and the military establishment are wont to say, we are but a reflection of our times. Only that they are inside their glass house, and we are not. And so we need not take refuge in that last argument of the indefensible.

Joker Arroyo’s glass house will have to be broken.