In that column, I discussed Pangilinan’s objection to the plan of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, to get Adel Tamano as general counsel to set the direction and pace of the investigations the committee would undertake.

It has been reported that Pangilinan resented the statements of Adel, who was spokesperson of the Genuine Opposition, on his ambivalence about joining GO. I said that Pangilinan should not blame Adel about the public perception that he is an opportunist because people have not forgotten his "Noted, Noted" act during the presidential canvass of the 2004 elections.

I said: "Even without Tamano, the public knows that he owes his electoral victory largely to his megastar wife. He will always be remembered as an accomplice to Gloria Arroyo’s stealing of the presidency when he relegated to "Noted, Noted," to evidence of Gloria Arroyo’s cheating in the 2004 elections."

I also wrote that although Pangilinan has his personal issues with Adel, my sources said he was just acting as hatchet man for Malacañang because the young lawyer is seen as one of the opposition’s senatorial bets in 2010.

Pangilinan wrote:

"While I respect your views expressed in your column today, I disagree on some points raised.

"1) I was never a party to electoral fraud in 2004 and when I found out about Hello Garci, I did not hesitate to call for the resignation of GMA.

"2) I think my being wooed by the opposition in ’07 and my victory despite being an independent shows that the ‘Mr. Noted’ has been set aside as a non- issue. If it were truly an issue, why was the opposition open to having me in their line up? I believe it was because I had shown a consistency in taking stands in opposition to GMA from ’05 to ’07. My refusal to join the admin ticket despite the offer of P150 million is proof of this.

"3) My victory, I believe, was a combination of both a solid track record and support of my wife, my family. Without the solid track record I don’t think victory would have been possible.

"Why, because other showbiz candidates didn’t make it. "

"I hope I have clarified some matters.

"Oh and I am certainly not a hatchet man of anyone."

One thing that struck me in Sen. Pangilinan’s message was his disclosure that the administration offered him P150 million to join Team Unity.

Offers of hundreds of millions of pesos were talked about during the campaign but this is the first time that someone has admitted it on the record.

This jibes with the information that Malacañang was buying everybody to be in their side. Senate President Manuel Villar was also offered P150 million and Sen. Loren Legarda, P200 million. Like Pangilinan, the two rejected the offer and went on to win under the opposition ticket.

I’m thinking that that means Sen. Joker Arroyo got his P150 million. So did Ralph Recto, who lost. I can imagine almost the same amount was offered to Tito Sotto, who was rating high until he joined the administration.

I imagine Team Unity must have been awash with money last election. Huge amount of money. Our money.

There is one amusing reaction to last Friday’s column. A reader wrote: "Hindi maaring awayin ni Kiko Pangilinan si Alan Cayetano. Paano kung magsumbong si Alan sakanyang kapatid na si Lino. Sasabihin ni Lino sa kanyang girlfriend na si KC (Concepcion). Iiyakan ni KC ang kanyang Mommy Sharon. Babatukan ni Sharon si Kiko. Ang takot lang ni Kiko kay Mega."