Opposition candidates trail in Pulse survey

MANILA, Philippines — With about a week before Election Day, reelectionist Sen. Cynthia Villar led the latest Pulse Asia survey dominated by former or incumbent members of Congress, with opposition bets still trailing behind administration candidates.

Villar ranked first with 55.9 percent of the 1,800 respondents who are “likely voters,” saying they would vote for her.

Sen. Grace Poe, who previously shared the top spot with Villar, was second with 47.7 percent while former Sen. Pia Cayetano was third with 45 percent.

15 in winning circle

The survey, conducted from May 3 to 6, showed that 15 of the 62 senatorial candidates had a “statistical chance of winning” in the May 13 elections.

The Social Weather Stations survey used face-to-face interviews and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points.

Of the probable winners, 11 are from the Hugpong ng Pagbabago,  the political coalition headed by the President’s daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

Nationalist People’s Coalition, United Nationalist Alliance and the opposition Liberal Party each had one bet in the list of candidates likely to get a seat in the Senate while one is running as an independent.

Others who are at the upper half of the list include former presidential aide Christopher “Bong” Go (42 percent), former Sen. Bong Revilla (39.5 percent), former Sen. Lito Lapid (38.5 percent) and former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa (37.9 percent).

Incumbent Sen. Sonny Angara got 36.3 percent, followed by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos (34.1percent), Sen. Nancy Binay (32.8 percent),  former Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (31.7 percent) and brothers Sen. JV Ejercito (31.2 percent) and former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (30.8 percent).

Sen. Bam Aquino with 30.6 percent, is the only opposition contender in the list of likely winners.

Only 9 party-list groups

Another  probable winners is former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chair Francis Tolentino with  28.9 percent.

In the party-list poll, the survey found that only nine out of the 134 party-list groups might get seats in the House of Representatives.  These include ACT-CIS,  Ako Bicol, Bayan Muna,  Cibac, 1Pacman,  Senior Citizens, Ang Probinsyano, An Waray  and Magsasaka.

In contrast to the results of the Pulse Asia’s survey, senatorial candidates of the Otso Diretso coalition are dominating poll surveys conducted by various universities all over the country.

Chel Diokno, a human rights lawyer, ranked first in seven out of 10 mock elections.

Diokno was followed by Samira Gutoc, reelectionist Aquino, former Quezon Rep. Erin Tañada, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and former Sen. Mar Roxas.

The universities include the University of the Philippines- Diliman, UP Manila, UP-Baguio, UP-Visayas, University of Santo Tomas, Philippine Normal University, University of San Carlos, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, De La Salle-Lipa and Wesleyan University. —Inquirer Research