The case of Oliver Lozano and his protégé, Joselito Cayetano of Davao takes the cake.

When Oliver Lozano became the first to file an impeachment case against President Arroyo in 2005, it was widely believed to have been part of a Malacañang-inspired scheme to derail, by a technicality, the filing of a credible impeachment complaint against her.

We know by now how things unraveled after that. The Palace-aligned majority in the House voted to use the Lozano complaint as the basis for its dismissal of the impeachment charges, and GMA survived the most serious, non-military threat to her hold on office. The second attempt to impeach her, done last year, was but a shadow of the first one the year earlier. And the people have Oliver Lozano to thank for that.

Now comes the same Lozano again, toting a Joselito Cayetano whose nickname has been established to be "Jojo". But under Lozano’s tutelage and apparent legal guidance, Joselito has filed his candidacy for the Senate with a different nickname: Peter – which happens to be the nickname of opposition Congressman and FG nemesis Alan Peter Cayetano of Taguig.

Lozano explains that Joselito’s use of "Peter" as a nickname is legal and valid, just as Joseph Estrada used "Erap" and Rene Cayetano used "Compañero", to cite a few. Lozano even said someone could just as well use "Gestapo" and that would still be valid.

Tasteless at the very least, too, and maybe a Freudian slip? Lozano of course also so very easily dismisses the fact that Erap had been Joseph Estrada’s nickname for years, and Compañero was the title of Rene Cayetano’s newspaper column as well as TV and radio program for which he became famous. But Joselito Cayetano? I will be that no one in his family and close circle of friends ever even knew he was nicknamed "Peter" until the day his filing of candidacy became public!

If not for his impeachment history, Lozano – who maybe should use the nickname "Oliver Twist" – could have gotten away with his "Peter" caper. But what he has done has put the Comelec – as well as the erstwhile formidable KBL – to the test. It is a test that, if you ask me, Comelec Chair Ben Abalos must be praying he should have never been put to. You see, he will be damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t.

If Abalos and the Comelec decide to oblige Lozano and justify the inclusion of Joselito "Peter" Cayetano on the final list of candidates for the Senate, using the Lozanoic logic that 1) anyone can use any nickname and 2) the copycat Cayetano’s ability to wage a campaign is proven by his nomination by the KBL, then Abalos and the Comelec open the door to barely legal schemes by all registered political parties at thwarting the peoples’ will.

What will stop, say, the Nacionalista Party, from (if they have time as well as the lack of decency) digging up some candidate in Camarines Sur who either has the family name of Arroyo and who will now use the nickname "Dato", or even come up with some candidate of any name who will use the whole nickname "Dato Arroyo"? Or someone to run wherever Manny Pacquiao runs, and use the same name or nickname like "Pacman"? Note that because, like Alan Cayetano, neither Dato nor Pacman are incumbents, they do not benefit from the presumption given to incumbents when common names written on ballots are counted in their favor.

What will keep Armand Sanchez from finding a "Vilma Santos" in Batangas – it is Sanchez, not Vilma, who is the incumbent – and therefore damaging the chances of Senator Ralph’s (better and more popular other) half? Heck, maybe just to teach his younger brother a thing or to, Vice Governor Ricky could do the same thing just as well!

Imagine the mischief that the Lozanoic logic opens up, and imagine how much further our electoral system will be damaged by it?

Then again, if Abalos and the Comelec rule that the Lozano’s Cayetano is a nuisance, whose fury will Abalos and his Commissioners have to worry about?

Truly, Lozano has made it very much harder for Abalos to deliver on his promise that the May 2007 elections will be his legacy – never mind, Mr. Chairman, that one electoral exercise cannot undo whatever damage the "Hello Garci" conspiracy has inflicted on the electoral process, a damage I hold the whole Comelec as a collegial body to be fully responsible for.

Other than the Comelec, Lozano and his logic have now also brought the once-vaunted and equally respected and feared Kilusang Bagong Lipunan to its lowest levels, a party snickered at, like a move star or entertainer whose time had long come and gone but who just doesn’t seem to know when to get off the stage. Imagine, for example, some big star who used to be the lead of shows worthy of the main theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, but who now can be found as a front act in some club along Mabini or Timog Avenue, unrecognized by a new generation that sits patiently and politely as they wait for the main attraction to appear.

Or worse, a faded big star who now hides in the shadows of Makati Avenue, waiting for a trick or two, sometimes even for just fifty pesos.

Our world of entertainment has a lot of these, and now it seems the KBL is the political equivalent.

Sad on one hand, but perhaps poetic justice on the other.