Sotto back on top in Senate race

Sen. Vicente Sotto III. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

“WINNING is enough,” Sen. Vicente Sotto III said dismissively of his top ranking in the latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by the TV network ABS-CBN, after regaining the No. 1 slot briefly held by Senate President Franklin Drilon in another senatorial poll.

According to the nationwide survey results released on Tuesday, 49.4 percent of respondents would vote for Sotto if the elections were held anytime between March 29 and April 3, the week when the poll was conducted.

Statistically, Drilon tied with Sotto, with 48.9 percent of respondents indicating their preference for the Senate official.

The survey, which used face-to-face interviews with 4,000 registered voters, had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 1.5 percentage points.

Statistical chance

Of the 50 senatorial candidates in the coming May 9 elections, 12 have a “statistical chance” of winning based on the survey results.  Aside from Sotto and Drilon, also on the probable winners’ circle were former Sen. Francis Pangilinan (45 percent), former Sen. Panfilo Lacson (43.9 percent), former Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri (37.3 percent), former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (36.5 percent), Sen. Sergio Osmeña III (34.1 percent), Sen. Ralph Recto (34), and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao (33.6).

Trailing them but also inside the Magic 12 circle were former Sen. Richard Gordon (32.6), former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) chief Joel Villanueva (32.3 percent), and former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros (32.1 percent).

According to the survey, 34 percent of voters already have a complete senatorial slate.

Performance

Sotto said he was not aiming for the any particular ranking in the actual elections despite his being first in most voter popularity surveys.  The senator attributed his strong showing in surveys to his performance in the Senate for the past six years.

“I have taken my job seriously and I intend to do so if reelected,” Sotto said, adding that “surveys (were) good guides so you can get feedback on what areas you need to improve on.”

‘Elated’

Drilon similarly expressed satisfaction at the survey results.  “This is the fourth time that I am running for senator, but it still warms the heart to know that there are still a lot of our countrymen who believe in and support me,” he said in a text message.

“I will make sure to work even harder in the coming Congress to show that (voters) have made the right choice,” Drilon added.

Gordon admitted to being “elated” at the survey results, and said that he “generally uses surveys as a (private) guide, not as propaganda material.”

Meager resources

He added however that he was “happy that despite our meager resources, people are taking a look at our credentials. We’ve been in the top 12 from the beginning, that’s why I’m elated. It’s my hope that people will look at the surveys and find out who are the most suitable for the job among us.”  With a report from Christine O. Avendaño and Leila B. Salaverria