Binay camp claims bet in ‘statistical tie’ with Poe, Duterte in poll

Vice President Jejomar Binay. Marc Jayson Cayabyab/INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay insisted that the opposition candidate is in a “statistical tie” with his contenders in the latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by ABS-CBN.

In a statement on Tuesday, Binay’s spokesperson Atty. Rico Quicho said the vice president is in a statistical tie with his rivals.

The Binay camp claimed their bet is in a statistical tie with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe, both of whom are tied as front-runners in the said survey.

“The presidential race continues to be tight. If you look at the margin of error, lahat ay (Poe, Duterte and Binay are in a) statistical tie,” Quicho said.

According to the survey conducted from March 8 to 13, Poe emerged as the front-runner in the first choice of president in the preferential survey with 26 percent of 4,000 respondents, followed by Duterte with 25 percent.

READ: Duterte, Poe ‘statistically tied’ in first place in new poll

Because of a ± 1.5 percent error margin, Poe and Duterte are in a statistical tie.

Meanwhile, Binay came in third place with 22 percent.

Technically, Binay and Duterte are in a statistical tie, factoring in the margin of error, however, Binay and Poe are not.

Meanwhile, Liberal Party standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II got 20 percent of the respondents.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago placed last with three percent.

Quicho said despite the slip in points, the vice president would continue to wage his campaign of poverty alleviation.

READ: Binay’s Achilles heel

“Ang hamon sa amin ay paigtingin pa ang pag-ikot sa iba’t-ibang lalawigan at ipagpatuloy ang pakikipag-usap sa ating mga kababayan. Natutuwa kami sa talagang mainit na pagtanggap sa ating vice president kahit saan s’ya magpunta,” Quicho said.

(The challenge to us is to intensify reaching various provinces and continue to speak with our fellow countrymen. We are delighted at the warm welcome our vice president receives wherever he goes.)

“Hindi natitinag ang matibay na suporta at pagtitiwala ng mga core groups at supporters ni vice president at lalo pang magpupursigi ang mga ito upang palakasin ang kandidatura ni vice president,” he added.

(The support and trust of [Binay’s] core groups and supporters are unwavering and they will work harder to boost the vice president’s candidacy.)

The same poll also asked respondents of their second choice for president should their first choice back out.

Poe remains the top choice with 30 percent, followed by Binay with 19 percent, Roxas with 14 percent, Duterte with 13 percent and Santiago with seven percent. RAM