Cayetano dumped for Trillanes?

Putschist Antonio Trillanes IV emerged tonight as the biggest surprise of the 2007 midterm elections by making it to the top 12 of the Pulse Asia senatorial exit poll — springing out of nowhere despite campaigning in absencia from jail and through the Internet, and without much money for TV ads.

The other big surprise was Alan Peter Cayetano's exit from the magic 12 after weeks of performing well in the surveys and heavy TV advertising.Trillanes in contrast had not been in striking distance in pre-election polls.

Pundits ask: did voters junk Cayetano for Trillanes at the last minute? Trillanes, the Oakwood mutineer, is undoubtedly the face of the protest vote but why Cayetano, a rabid anti-Arroyo critic, did not perform as strongly has baffled armchair analysts

Cayetano at 13th spot still has a statistical chance of making it and dislodging no. 12 Ralph Recto of Team Unity.

But he must shut out the nuisance namesake bet Pepito Cayetano if he wants to continue his anti-Gloria tirade in the Senate.