In the apparent hope of stopping the trial by publicity being waged against him by Senators Antonio Trillanes 4th, Alan Peter Cayetano and Aquilino Pimentel 3rd at the Senate blue ribbon committee, Vice President Jejomar Binay last week met with the only person who could call off the “take-no-prisoners” beastly attack, namely President B. S. Aquino 3rd, whom he continues to regard as his personal friend and ally.

No details have come out of that private meeting. But the fact that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has ordered a probe on Binay immediately thereafter, assigning a couple of National Bureau of Investigation teams to do the job, only means that Aquino will exert little effort to help his “friend.” This, notwithstanding Trillanes’ suspicion that Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma had a hand in arranging the meeting and a clear interest in its favorable result.