An eye-opening encounter with two election lawyers, including a look-see into what a spurious ballot looks like, was what we had at last Tuesday’s “Bulong Pulungan” at the Sofitel hotel.

Koko Pimentel, his own lawyer in his election protest against 2007 12th placer Senator Miguel Zubiri, said 98.15 percent of the ballots cast in six municipalities in Mindanao were spurious. What does a spurious ballot look like?

Shorter than the genuine article, he said, plus it does not carry security features such as the correct type of ink, and it’s ahead of the Comelec in identifying a town by its new name. He blamed a syndicate, short of naming a ring of Comelec insiders as the culprits.

Romulo Makalintal, GMA’s private lawyer for election matters who is one of Senator Zubiri’s counsels in the complaint, chided Atty. Pimentel for talking like he’s the winner when protestee Zubiri has yet to present his answer before the Senate Electoral Tribunal. “All right,” conceded Koko, “I’m leading.”

According to Atty. Makalintal, only 5 percent of election protests are ever won by the protestants. And according to us fencesitters, 99 percent of the 5 percent are resolved with little time left for the victor to enjoy his post. However, Koko’s father, Senator Nene Pimentel, is much more confident and has been telling kith and kin that by November Koko will be sitting in the Senate.

Koko did not look offended when Deedee Siytangco offered to “keep Migz and you but let’s remove” somebody who has not said or done anything in the chamber. Koko gamely kidded back, “Even the deaf and dumb should be represented.” Yeah, but are they satisfied with the representation, since they cannot speak up?