Who sez Lito Lapid is the invisible, silent senator?

On a one-on-one, outside the debates and interpellations and investigations in aid of legislation, he finds his voice; it’s just not in his nature as a stuntman/action star to compete with the likes of Juan Ponce Enrile and Joker Arroyo, both of whom describe him as “mabait.”

In our one-on-one, I asked and he replied (in Filipino).

Whom do you admire, JFK, Obama, anyone?

“I don’t know them, didn’t read about them. High school lang ako.”

You were all set to run for governor of Pampanga. But as soon as GMA told you not to... you’re so macho-nurin.

“Correct. I obey my amo.”

But if people don’t see you on TV, don’t hear you on radio, don’t read your press releases...

“I’m not worried. I think they know what I have done. They still recognize me. (An aide interjected, “The women’s reaction is always ‘Guapo!’ while the men call him ‘Idol!’ ”)

You’re not even campaigning aggressively.

Just because you’re No. 4 or 7 in the surveys?

This time his chief of staff butted in: “Senator Lapid authored 403 bills in the 14th Congress, putting him in 4th place after Santiago, Villar, and Estrada.

He was never absent, not even once. That’s work that speaks better than a survey.” (More next week)