Incumbent, former senators leading race

Former and incumbent senators have emerged as the leading contenders in the Senate race, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released on Friday.

The SWS January 2016 Pre-Election survey, conducted from Jan. 8 to 10, showed Sen. Tito Sotto (56 percent), former Sen. Panfilo Lacson (49 percent), Sen. Ralph Recto (46 percent), former Sen. Kiko Pangilinan (46 percent) and Senate President Franklin Drilon (43 percent) as the top choices of respondents.

Popular preferences

Also popular preferences were Sen. Sergio Osmeña III (42 percent), former Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri (39 percent), Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao (37 percent), former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (35 percent) and former Sen. Richard Gordon (31 percent).

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III, former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros and Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno follow with 28 percent each, while former Pampanga Gov. Mark Lapid, former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority chief Joel Villanueva and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino all scored 19 percent.

1,200 voters

Bringing up the rear were Marilou Estrada (18 percent), Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian (17 percent), actor Edu Manzano (16 percent) and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (13 percent).

The January survey, first published in the BusinessWorld newspaper, used face-to-face interviews with 1,200 validated voters and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percentage points.

The question posted to respondents was: “If the elections were to take place today, whom will you most probably vote for as senators of the Philippines? Here is a list of names of the candidates. You can mention up to 12 names.” The respondents were furnished a list of 82 names. Inquirer Research