Leni jumps to 2nd place in VP race

Vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

SEN. FERDINAND “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has stretched his lead in the vice presidential race, the latest Pulse Asia survey showed, but an analyst said that Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo still had an outside chance of winning the May 9 balloting.

In the April 12-17 survey, Marcos gained 2 points to 29 percent from 27 percent in the April 5-10 survey for a 6-point lead over Robredo who had 23 percent, up from 21 percent.

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero was preferred by 20 percent of the respondents, down from 23 percent the previous week.

The survey, commissioned by ABS-CBN and released on Sunday, interviewed 4,000 respondents and has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 1.5 percentage points.

“The last two surveys suggest that Marcos has consolidated his lead,” said Edmund Tayao, a political science professor at the University of Santo Tomas.

Noting the increase in Robredo’s rating, Tayao said Robredo still had a chance but “it’s going to be an uphill battle,” with only two weeks left before the elections.

“The only way Leni can still improve is for her to continue getting the message across because that’s resonating to the public,” he said.

Trailing the top three were Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano (16 percent), Sen. Gringo Honasan (4 percent) and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV (3 percent).

Marcos was the top choice in Metro Manila (43 percent), Luzon outside Metro Manila (36 percent), Class ABC (39 percent) and Class D (31 percent), while Robredo led in Visayas (35 percent). Cayetano was the leading candidate in Mindanao (32 percent).

Among Class E, the favored candidates were Robredo (26 percent), Marcos (21 percent) and Cayetano (20 percent).

The respondents were also asked about their second-choice candidates and 27 percent said they would vote for Escudero in the event their candidate withdrew.

Cayetano was the alternative candidate of 14 percent and another 14 percent picked Marcos as their second-choice candidate.

Robredo was the second choice of 13 percent while Trillanes and Honasan were the alternative candidate of 6 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

If Marcos decides to withdraw from the race for whatever reason, Escudero would gain the most as 33 percent of the Marcos’ voters named Escudero    as their second-choice candidate.

Escudero was also the alternative candidate of 40 percent of Robredo’s voters and 29 percent of Cayetano’s supporters.

In a press conference in Ormoc City on Sunday, Marcos said, “I am satisfied to see that my numbers continue to go up.”

Marcos said he had maintained his lead in the surveys because people had taken notice of his long experience and track record in public service.

“My message of unity is also widely accepted and clearly understood. This is what we need now,” he said. With a report from Jeannette I. Andrade