Pulse Asia: 8 top bets in survey are shoo-in winners in May

Three weeks before the elections, Pulse Asia Inc. said yesterday senatorial candidates who ranked one to eight in the recent survey are likely to be "shoo-in winners" in the May 14 elections.

Ana Maria Tabunda, Pulse Asia executive director, said their nationwide survey conducted from April 3-5 showed that there are only four senatorial slots to be fought for by the other candidates.

The possible sure winners are former senator Loren Legarda of the Genuine Opposition; Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. (GO); House Minority Leader Francis Escudero; Sen. Panfilo Lacson (GO); Sen. Francis Pangilinan (independent); Sen. Ralph Recto (Team Unity); Sen. Edgardo Angara (TU); and Pateros-Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (GO), she added.

Tabunda said these eight senatorial candidates are "safe" in the winning circle, but that they could still "scramble."

"The positioning could still mix-up," she said. "Their position could either gain or decline depending on how their campaign would progress in the coming weeks."

Tabunda said the endorsement of religious groups like the Iglesia ni Cristo, El Shaddai and Jesus is Lord (JIL) Church Worldwide could also influence the outcome of the May 14 elections.

However, they might not be able to include in their survey the religious endorsements since their company would come out with their last pre-election survey by next week, she added.

In Zambales, the pro-administration Team Unity maintained yesterday it would win at least seven Senate seats in the May elections despite the surveys.

In a telephone interview, Team Unity spokesman Ace Durano said based on their own study of the surveys by Social Weather Stations, Pulse Asia and other mock polls, not less than seven administration bets would win if elections were held at this time.

"But we have three more weeks and we hope to boost the chances of other Team Unity candidates," he said.

Durano said the "sure winners" in Team Unity are Joker Arroyo, Angara, Recto and Vicente Sotto III. The five others in the winning circle are Cesar Montano, Vic Magsaysay, Juan Miguel Zubiri and Prospero Pichay, he added.

Durano said the SWS surveys would not serve as the most reliable gauge of who would win on May 14 because "it polls only 1,200 respondents, compared to Pulse Asia’s 1,800." – Evelyn Macairan, Aurea Calica, Theo Agcaoili