Since time immemorial, the Bicolanos are known to fight and stand for what they believe in even at the expense of his kababayan. They are not afraid to call a spade a spade! That's why there is a belief in Bicol that there will never be a Bicolano President even though Bicol is a vote-rich region because unlike the Ilocanos who are regionalists (e.g. Solid North) the Bicolanos are not and cannot count on the solid support of his fellow Bicolanos.

The present political crisis engulfing the country today had once again shown the fiery and fragmented nature of the Bicolanos. They are now pitted against each other trading wits and barbs in support or against the Erap administration.

It's not surprising to see Joker Arroyo lambasting the administration and Senator Francisco Tatad defending it. They've gone a long way since the Martial Law years. You also have the then Colonel now Senator Gringo Honasan and Joker against each other after the EDSA Revolution. The Ramos administration has Jose "JoAl" Almonte. There's Senator Raul Roco whose intelligence and views on current issues are well respected by his peers and foes alike. The colorful Bro. Mike Velarde whose hold on El Shaddai memebers is phenomenal! And Bubby Dacer, the missing PR man who was accused by the Palace to be the one behind the 3-D plot.

And on the impeachment trial, the Bicol-connection once again figured prominently. You have Senators Honasan, Roco and Tatad sitting as Senator-Judges. Congressman Joker Arroyo as one of the 11-man Prosecution panel from the House of Representatives. There's the Speaker of the House of Representatives Arnulfo Fuentebella trying to grab the limelight himself by questioning the authority of the House Prosecution panel to hire a private prosecutor. Then, we have the Presidential Assistant for Bicol Anton Dy-Prieto swearing to high heavens that he has nothing to do with Jueteng in the region contrary of course to the beliefs of his fellow Bicolanos.

The Bicolanos has a term for people whom they perceived to be brave and brilliant which is Oragon and to those whom they believed to be mediocre as Paroton.

In the current poltical setting, one needed not to be an expert to see who are the Oragons and the Parotons!

That's why many Bicolanos are now looking forward to the next elections to see who among them will be run-over by the dreaded Bicol-Express!

For the Bicolanos, all this are just part of the game that is Politics, their favorite past time next to munching the hot and fiery Siling Labuyos!

ORAGON

Rep. Joker Arroyo
Sen. Raul Roco
Former Rep. Edcel Lagman
Rep. Rolando Andaya
Former Sen. Victor Ziga
Rep. Krisel Lagman-Luistro
Former BIR Chief Liwayway Vinzons-Chato
Former National Security Adviser Jose Almonte
PR man Salvador "Bubby" Dacer

PAROTON

Sen. Francisco Tatad
Sen. Gregorio Honasan
Speaker Arnulfo Fuentebella
Presidential Asst. Anton Dy-Prieto
Bro. Mike Velarde
Rep. Francis Escudero
Rep. Joey Salceda
Gov. Luis Villafuerte
Vice-Gov. Imelda Papin