“When my wife is mad at me, she gets historical,” said a man to his friend.

The friend said, “You mean hysterical.” The man explained: “No, I really mean ‘historical.’ Because she brings up my past sins, along with the present.”

That joke occurred to me when Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, by a twist of fate, suddenly became the Senate President—helped by an “invisible” senator who suddenly became visible to vote for the good senator. With that “promotion,” a bit of history concerning him was remembered. Opinion writer Antonio Montalvan II narrated Senator Cayetano’s term-sharing for the House Speakership back in 2019 when he was still a congressman, alongside another Allan, Congressman Lord Allan Velasco of the lone district of Marinduque. It was agreed then that Cayetano would yield the speakership after 18 months. Yet, when it was time for Velasco to take over, APC did not yield.

It was reported that he closed the House session hall, shutting off the lights and air conditioning units.

Poor Velasco. But he did not take it sitting down. He and other congressmen were reported to have held their session at another venue, the Celebrity Sports Plaza in Quezon City. There was no mace—which is said to be the official symbol of the session—but Congressman Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro said the requirement was “not absolute.”

And then recently, he lost the Senate presidency, which in the perception of many people in the country was “forced” anyway, with Senator Bato dela Rosa coming out of hiding for several months to vote for the good senator APC. But the presidency was short-lived. So now it’s Win Gatchalian.

Which, in the eyes of many, makes him bitter and unable to move on. One political analyst, Ronald Llamas, even called him Alan “Bitter” Cayetano. He is pictured as having really changed, both mentally and physically. He has alienated other senators, claiming they have less capacity to argue with lawyers. To note, he is a lawyer, just as his sister Pia is a lawyer too. Meaning, the other senators who are not lawyers are lesser mortals, hahaha.

But this isn’t any laughing matter, even as he looked down on other senators like Erwin Tulfo and Ping Lacson. And those two could not take it sitting down either. They commented on his beard, which was left unshaven, leading Tulfo to say that he was becoming a “taong grasa.” Lacson, on his part—who was also cited as having his assets increase considerably in a few years, thereby insinuating that there was “mystery” in his dealings—cited Senator APC’s involvement in flood control projects in Taguig, which were full of questionable details, stating he has evidence on them.

And his rightful place, this Senator APC? That jail facility in Payatas, Quezon City.

Could he complete the BJMP initials there, with “B” as in Bong Revilla, “J” as in Jinggoy, “M” as in Marcoleta, and “P” as in Peter?

Now, the latter is said to have whispered in Lacson’s ear for a “ceasefire.” But will there be one, with Lacson saying that “it’s difficult to wage war when your ammunition is only a toy gun”?

I think this isn’t only about history repeating itself for this senator. It could be a case of “an eye for an eye.”