Palace: Latest Pulse Asia survey shows Duterte’s ‘strong endorsement appeal’

MANILA, Philippines —  The latest result of the Pulse Asia survey, showing most of the Duterte-backed senatorial candidates in the top 12 only showed that the President’s endorsement power remains strong, Malacañang said Tuesday.

“That means the people believed in the President,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

The survey, released Tuesday, showed eight of the 12 senatorial aspirants were endorsed by the President.

“It means his endorsement appeal is strong,” Panelo said.

READ: Poe, Villar share lead in Pulse Asia senatorial survey for April

The Palace official said the survey results affirmed that the people believed that the President’s senatorial slate would help him uplift the country from poverty and violence among other issues the country is facing.

In a press briefing on February 12, the start of the campaign period for national positions, Panelo dismissed the idea that the 2019 midterm elections would be a referendum for President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Palace: Opposition victory in 2019 polls not a ‘repudiation’ of Duterte

“I don’t think the President believes in his magical so called power to endorse,” he said. /muf