What do Prospero Nograles, Sergio Apostol, Ignacio Bunye, Neptali Gonzales II of Mandaluyong City and oppositionists Teofisto Guingona, Ernesto Maceda, Didagen Dilangalen have in common?

They are prominent members of the Aquila Legis Fraternity (remember the Lenny Villa hazing case?) of the Ateneo de Manila Law School.

So while Nograles, Apostol, Bunye, Gonzales II have the same party affiliation?Lakas-CMD?as Fidel Ramos, Jose de Venecia and Eduardo Ermita do, the ?quartet? are bound by more intimate ties that the ?trio? do not share with them. If push comes to shove, guess who?ll come to each other?s aid?

It?s funny that the recent realignment at the House of Representatives counted among its principal movers persons who graduated from or at least studied in the Ateneo Law School.

Nograles and Gonzales II are Aquilans who graduated from Ateneo Law.

Mikey Arroyo is a Utopian, who studied in Ateneo Law School but didn?t graduate from Ateneo. Dato Arroyo is a ?barbarian??has no fraternity affiliation?who studied in Ateneo Law School, reached third year law and, like his older brother, didn?t graduate from Ateneo.

Their dad, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, is a ?barbarian? and graduated from Ateneo Law School. He has friends among both Aquilans and Utopians.

Now, we have the first-ever speaker from Mindanao, and a first-ever Atenean, at that? (Correct me if I?m wrong, but most if not all previous House speakers came from University of the Philippines.)

Remember, among the Philippine presidents, it?s only Joseph Estrada (dropout) who traces his roots to the Jesuit-run university.

(Side note: Nograles is now serving his third term as congressman; lawyer-son Kaka Nograles?also an Aquilan?is now being groomed to replace him.)

Will Nograles? ?ascension? as the new Speaker of the House, propel him to the Senate (come 2010) just as the ascension of Manuel Villar, who is now the current Senate president, to the speakership did?

Your guess is as good as mine.

MICHAEL SO (via email)