Jueteng scandal remains most troubling issue for Estrada — poll

Of all issues against President Estrada, it is the allegation that he accepted jueteng bribes that most troubles Metro Manilans.

According to a tracking poll conducted by Pulse Asia, 44 percent of Metro Manilans find the jueteng issue the most troubling of all concerns raised against the President.

Twenty-six percent of the respondents were most concerned about the economic slowdown due to investors’ alleged lack of confidence in Mr. Estrada’s leadership.

On the other hand, 21 percent are most troubled by charges that he engaged in graft and corruption with public funds.

The issue that he is supposedly immoral because he has families with different women is only fourth in the respondents’ totem pole of concerns, with 20 percent saying this issue most concerned them.

Cronyism was the chief concern of 19 percent of respondents while 18 percent were concerned that the President was not getting a fair shake from his accusers. Another 18 percent were most troubled by the issue that Mr. Estrada has lost the capacity to govern.

The survey, commissioned by and exclusive to The STAR, also shows that the two issues which least bothered the people of Metro Manila are the charges that the President is anti-poor (10 percent); and that his work style is inappropriate (eight percent).

The tracking poll also shows that Metro Manila public opinion critical of the Estrada administration continues to build up as the prosecution assumes the initiative in presenting key witnesses.

Pulse Asia president Felipe Miranda told The STAR yesterday that of all trial personalities tested for public trust, President Estrada "has been practically the only one whose trust rating in the last five days of the trial has fallen."

The other personalities, including the President’s chief accuser Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson and Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, showed improvements in their trust ratings.

"Disapproval for the President’s performance during this period also has continued to increase such that it now is at the same level as public approval for the Chief Executive," Miranda said.

The survey, according to Miranda, also shows that the ratings of senators continue to reflect more positive public opinion for those who are either "perceived to be open-minded or leaning towards a critical appraisal of the administration."

"Allegedly pro-administration senators do not get as high public approval levels," he pointed out.

But Miranda cited the increasing trust ratings of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, an alleged pro-administration senator, as bucking the trend.

He said her rating has significantly increased since the trial started, indicating that the public does not always rate its senators along "simply pro or anti-administration lines."