Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III applauds Sen. Manny Pacquiao as the boxing champ accepts his nomination on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, as PDP-Laban presidential bet in the 2022 elections. (Photo from Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III believes that his ally Senator Manny Pacquiao will win the presidential race despite ranking low on surveys.
“Alam pa rin namin ngayon that we still have a chance. I call it a narrow path to victory but still it is there,” Pimentel said on ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart on Tuesday.
In a Pulse Asia presidential survey released in March, Pacquiao was in the fourth spot, garnering just eight percent of the votes from respondents.
Still leading the pack was former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., followed by Vice President Leni Robredo.
For Pimentel, a new method of conducting surveys may have been utilized amid the COVID-19 pandemic which may have not reached the masses.
“I’ve lost my trust on surveys. Number two, this is pandemic times, there must have been a new method in doing a survey during pandemic. Maybe, taking advantage of technology,” he said.
“But then our people who belong in the D and E segments of society, definitely, even if you say technology, …(there) are the less technology-influenced people,” the senator added, noting that they are talking and campaigning directly to these classes.
Further, Pimentel said that they will continue to support Pacquiao in his run for the presidency despite speculations that the candidate will withdraw.
“We will respect his decision and if he says right now that there is no way that he will withdraw, then we are with him. We never foresaw that he would be withdrawing when we joined him from Day 1,” said Pimentel.
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