Escudero top VP candidate, says survey

SEN. FRANCIS “Chiz” Escudero is still the top choice among vice presidential aspirants as nearly three of 10 registered Filipino voters would pick him, the results of the Pulse Asia nationwide survey showed.

Had the elections been held during the Dec. 4-11 survey, 29 percent of 1,800 respondents would vote for Escudero, who is running with presidential aspirant Sen. Grace Poe under “Team Galing at Puso.”

The latest score was six ticks up from the 23 percent Escudero obtained during Pulse Asia’s noncommissioned survey on Sept. 8-14.

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. stayed at second spot with 23 percent (from 13 percent), followed by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano with 18 percent (from 9 percent), Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo with 14 percent (from 3 percent), Sen. Gringo Honasan (name not yet included in September poll) with 9 percent and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with 4 percent (unchanged).

Escudero led among vice presidential candidates across areas, leading in the rest of Luzon (33 percent), Metro Manila (30 percent) and Visayas (27 percent) except in Mindanao (21 percent).

Across socioeconomic groups, Escudero was favored by Classes D and E (29 percent) and Classes ABC (26 percent).

Marcos

Marcos, who teamed up with presidential candidate Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, was picked by 28 percent in Metro Manila, 26 percent in the rest of Luzon, 19 percent in Mindanao and 17 percent in Visayas.

Marcos was the preferred vice presidential candidate by 20 percent both among Classes ABC and E and 23 percent among Class D.

Cayetano, who is Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s running mate, led in Mindanao with 27 percent. The Senate majority leader obtained 18 percent in Visayas, 17 percent in Metro Manila and 13 percent in the rest of Luzon.

Among classes, Cayetano was picked by 18 percent both in Classes D and E and 17 percent in Classes ABC.

Robredo

Robredo, Liberal Party’s vice presidential candidate, was selected by 21 percent in Visayas, 14 percent in the rest of Luzon, 10 percent in Mindanao, and 9 percent in Metro Manila. The widow of the late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo was chosen by 18 percent from Classes ABC, 14 percent from Class D and 12 percent from Class E.

Honasan, who is running under United Nationalist Alliance with Vice President Jejomar Binay, was favored by 12 percent both in Metro Manila and Mindanao, and 8 percent both in Visayas and the rest of Luzon.

A former military officer who led several coup attempts against the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino, Honasan was preferred by 12 percent in Class E, 11 percent in Classes ABC and 8 percent in Class D.

Trillanes

Trillanes of the Magdalo group, which has endorsed Poe’s bid for the presidency, would be voted for as Vice President by 5 percent both in Visayas and Mindanao, 4 percent in Metro Manila and 3 percent in the rest of Luzon.

Only 4 percent of respondents from Classes D and E would pick Trillanes, while those from Classes ABC totaled 5 percent.

The December survey asked respondents: “Of the people on this list, whom would you vote for as Vice President of the Philippines if the 2016 elections were held today and they were candidates?” It had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points. Inquirer Research