Will Joker Really Run, or just bluffing?

I believe the 80-year old Joker Arroyo will not run in the 2007 elections. He said so in the past.

But now he is being coy about running.

SEN. Joker Arroyo remains coy about his political plans and is just leaving it to his colleagues in the Senate’s Wednesday Club to decide if he should seek re-election.

He also expressed misgivings over the prospect of being included in the 12-man senatorial slate of the United Opposition as he was the chief prosecutor during the botched impeachment trial of President Joseph Estrada in 2001.

Arroyo said he was not surprised that he, Senate President Manny Villar, majority leader Francis Pangilinan and Sen. Ralph Recto were not included in the initial list of UNO’s eight senatorial candidates.

Haha. Joker said he was "not surprised" raw. As if gusto talaga niyang sumali pero he was "offended" by the intial non-invite.

it's also interesting because Joker is one of the reasons raw kung bakit hindi matuloy ang coalition ng Opposition at Wednesday group, dahil kailangan raw na makasama si Joker sa opposition slate:

In a clever maneuver, the NP and LP announced that they have forged a tactical coalition by fielding a common senatorial team—Senator Villar, Senator Ralph Recto and Taguig-Pateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano of NP, and Senator Francis Pangilinan of LP. The group is trying to flex its muscle by batting for the inclusion of Senator Joker Arroyo into the UNO ticket. The latest word is that the 80-year-old Joker has stopped vacillating on his re-election bid.

Pero kung si joker mismo ay ayaw or hesitant na sumali, why is the wednesday group forcing the issue? lol.

Eto pa, from Jarius Bondoc:

So that poor Noynoy doesn’t feel lost and lonely in virtual enemy terrain, reelectionists Manny Villar, Ralph Recto and Kiko Pangilinan are being asked to chaperone him. Villar, who led Estrada’s impeachment in 2000, reportedly has agreed. Kiko, Noynoy’s LP-mate, is hesitant due to pleas from friends in civil society and because UNO has not invited reelectionist pal Joker Arroyo.

Hmmm... pero sabi naman ng opposition na willing silang makasama si Joker kung gusto niyang tumakbo bilang senador:

As for the other possible members of the united opposition's ticket, Maceda said that if Sen. Joker Arroyo would decide to run for the Senate again, the lawmaker would likely be included in the opposition's ticket, noting that Arroyo is very close to Villar and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay, the incumbent UNO president.

so what is going on here?

I think joker arroyo may be bluffing. i don't think he has any plans to run for senator, but may be acting as mike defensor's trojan horse to ruin any chances of UNO and the Wednesday Group coalescing. But the opposition has called Joker's bluff, and now joker is contradicting some of the wednesday group's statements.

Lito Banayo warned na Joker might be one of those trojan horses. I think lumalabas na nga ang katotohanan.

Btw, I think if the wednesday group and UNO unites, ang mapapasa ma sa lineup ay sina kiko, recto, villar at sonia roco.