Binay leads Pulse Asia poll; Duterte enters Top 5

MANILA, Philippines–Vice President Jejomar Binay maintained his lead among the presidential aspirants for the 2016 national elections, a recent Pulse Asia survey showed.

Voter preference for Binay, who is being investigated in the Senate for the alleged irregularities in Makati when he was its mayor, increased from 26 percent in November last year to 29 percent in March.

The poll, conducted from March 1 to 7, also showed that while Sen. Grace Poe retained the No. 2 spot, her voter preference rating dropped from 18 percent to 14 percent.

Manila Mayor and former President Joseph Estrada inched higher with 12 percent (up from 7 percent) while Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who was previously not included in the survey questionnaire, tied with him in fourth place.

They are followed by Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago (9 percent) and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (6 percent).

The second half of the list of potential presidential candidates include Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II (4 percent), Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero (4 percent), Alan Peter Cayetano (3 percent) and Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV (2 percent), former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson (1 percent) and Philippine Red Cross chair Richard “Dick” Gordon (1 percent).

Poe also retained the top spot among potential vice presidential candidates. However, voter preference for the senator dropped from 33 percent in November to 29 in March.

The rest of the top 10 possible vice presidential aspirants are as follows: Escudero (16 percent), Cayetano (13 percent), Duterte (11 percent), Marcos (11 percent), Trillanes (6 percent), Estrada (4 percent), Senate President Franklin Drilon (3 percent), detained Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. (2 percent) and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo (0.4 percent).

Still leading the possible candidates for senators in 2016 is Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Rounding up the Top 15 are Lacson, Marcos, Secretary Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Drilon, Sen. Ralph Recto, former Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Sen. Sergio “Serge” Osmeña III, Gordon, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, former Sen. Jamby Madrigal, Sen. Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Taguig Rep. Lino Cayetano and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao.

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