Pulse says presidential survey results theirs, but not officially released

MANILA, Philippines—Polling company Pulse Asia is to conduct another survey on the public’s preferences among the perceived possible candidates in the 2016 presidential election, saying the one leaked earlier this week was simply part of an internal study.

Ana Tabunda, the company’s chief research fellow, said Friday that that the results of a survey that found their way to certain publications were not officially released and the survey had not been commissioned by any party.

“It is our data, not commissioned. [It is] not being released officially because our official release will start in the next survey. This is just for our study,” Tabunda told the Inquirer.

The results of the survey showed Vice President Jejomar Binay as the top preferred presidential candidate for 2016, ahead of other potential candidates.

Binay got the nod of 40 percent of some 1,200 individuals polled, far ahead of others, including Senators Grace Poe, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Chiz Escudero, Alan Peter Cayetano and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., the Vice President’s political adversary Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, rehabilitation czar Panfilo “Ping Lacson” and even President Aquino’s sister, celebrity talk show host Kris Aquino.

Tabunda confirmed that the results were theirs but could not say who leaked them to the media.

“Leaked results are our data. We officially release our pre-electoral results about two years or less from election day of a presidential election,” she said.

“Difficult to speculate who released it, as some of our subscribers apparently share their data with nonsubscribers,” said Tabunda, implying that copies of the survey results were released to the poll’s subscribers.

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