Binay unfazed by failure to regain top spot

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

CALBAYOG, Samar—The camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay remains unfazed by his failure to regain the top spot in the surveys, with the race to Malacanang remaining tight for all the presidential candidates.

In an interview during his campaign rally here on Friday, Binay’s spokesperson Atty. Rico Quicho said the vice president’s core group remains strong despite his slight increase in the ratings.

“Nagpapasalamat po tayo at patuloy pong lumalakas ang core group at naniniwala po kami sa patuloy na pag-iikot namin sa mga lalawigan ay lalo pa pong iigting ang suporta ng ating mga kababayan,” Quicho said.

(We would like to thank that our core group continues to strengthen and we believe that as we go around the province, our fellow countrymen’s support for Binay will become stronger.)

READ: Binay says latest SWS pre-elections survey a ‘wake-up call’

Asked if the vice president is worried with his failure to regain the top spot in the surveys, Quicho said the race to Malacanang remains tight and it could be anyone’s ball game.

“Alam niyo po na dikit na dikit po tayo ngayon. Handa po kami sa kahit anong scenario at kumpiyansa tayo na habang papalapit po ang halalan, lalo na pong lumalakas ang ating mga kakampi at lalo na pong magpupursigi ang mga naniniwala at sumusuporta kay Vice President Binay,” Quicho said.
(You know, the race is very tight. We are ready for any scenario and we are confident that as the election day nears, our alliance becomes stronger and those who believe in and support Vice President Binay will continue to work hard for him.)
According to the survey commissioned by ABS-CBN and conducted from March 15 to 20, Sen. Grace Poe led with 28 percent, up from her previous score of 26 percent in the March 8 to 13 survey.

READ: Poe keeps lead in latest Pulse Asia poll

Binay is in a statistical tie in second place with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Binay got 23 percent, a slight increase from his previous score of 22 percent. Duterte garnered 24 percent, down from 25 percent.

Former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II was chosen by 19 percent of respondents, from his previous score of 20 percent.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago placed last with two percent, from her previous score of three percent.

Four percent of respondents were undecided.

The survey was conducted among 4,000 respondents and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 1.5 percentage points.

The survey was conducted after the Supreme Court cleared the way for Poe to run in the presidential race after scoring victory in her citizenship case.

The survey was also conducted ahead of the March 20 presidential debates in Cebu. RAM