A palace insider told me over dinner that a group of Cabinet men confronted President Macapagal-Arroyo about her favorite Cabinet member who allegedly advised her to go hard on the media.

Arresting the media people who covered the Peninsula Manila standoff was reportedly this Cabinet member?s idea.

The other Cabinet members (let?s call them ?doves?) didn?t want a ?war? with the media.

They blamed their colleague for the mess the President was in.

GMA reportedly stood by her fair-haired boy.

She told the doves she appreciated the Cabinet official for staying in his post when he could have run for a seat in the House of Representatives in the last elections, and won.

Oh my gosh, Ma?am, how could you be so naive!

As a congressman, he wouldn?t have the perks and privileges he allegedly enjoys in his office:

Police bodyguards for his two girlfriends.
Having a relative easily get government contracts.
Having sex orgies in his yacht.
Being feared by the police.
Being feared by ?jueteng? lords.

If he would wrest the power now held by Undersecretary Antonio Villar, the no-nonsense antismuggling czar, this Cabinet member?s power would be complete.

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However, no matter how much the President loves this particular Cabinet official, it is likely she will not hand over the antismuggling office to him.

The President knows that if he gets the post, he would allow two siblings whose name has become synonymous with smuggling to take control of the piers again.

Only Villar gets in the way of the two because he?s the only official who can say ?no? to a relative of the President.

* * *

Mike Arroyo, husband of the President, reportedly spat at Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr., a minor government functionary, several officials and the latter?s close associates told the Inquirer.

Spitting at the face of another person is the greatest insult.

In Europe in the olden times, a man who slapped the face of another with his gloves was challenged to a gun duel.

But this is not Europe and we are not living in the olden times.

This is the Philippines and we are living under an arrogant administration. Even the Marcoses in their heyday never insulted people in public.

* **

When Mike Arroyo and I were still the best of friends, he got upset with fellow columnist Recah Trinidad over an item he had written about Mike?s stay in a $20,000-a-day suite in Las Vegas.

Mr. Arroyo told me over a couple of drinks he would slap or beat up Recah if he met him in public.

I told Mike not to do that because it would be unbecoming of his stature.

He wouldn?t listen. He said he got very offended by Recah?s derogatory item about him in his column.

?Well, Mike,? I looked into his eyes, ?get ready for a big fight of your life because I know Recah will not run away from a fight.?
I told the President?s husband he would be no match for the batang kanto from Mandaluyong.

It?s a good thing El Mestizo and The Kanto Boy never met in public.

* * *

I?d like to thank lawyer Arthur Amon for helping ?Isumbong mo kay Tulfo? file the rape complaint against Swiss national Jon Eric Effinger in the Department of Justice.

Amon gave his services to the rape victim for free.