Honasan mulls filing bill banning election surveys

CAGAYAN de Oro , Philippines– United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) re-electionist Sen. Gringo Honasan said he may file a bill banning the conduct of surveys during election period if he gets re-elected.

In an interview here yesterday with The STAR before the UNA’s rally, Honasan admitted that the results of poll surveys is affecting the candidates.

“When I get back in the Senate, I might take the initiative together with Koko (Aquilino Pimentel, III) if he gets back also,” he said, adding that the candidates cannot avoid being affected by results of surveys.

“Like myself, from 6th rank, I go down to 15. You look at statistical probability. It did not bother me, however. Historically, I started in this manner, I go up, then I go down,” Honasan said.

He said that since the Senate is engaged “directly or indirectly in the campaign” for the May elections and stopping surveys does not land in the scope of the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec’s) responsibility, filing a bill in the Senate would be a better option after the 2013 elections.

He said it is “part of the initiatives for future cleaner, more credible and more honest elections.”

He said the “trending effect and mind conditioning are valid issues in the mind of the public.”

In a separate interview, UNA senatorial candidate Nancy Binay said the Comelec should require survey firms to declare who commissioned the surveys.

Binay, eldest daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay, said “surveys are mere guide for candidates to know where they are weak and strong in order for them to campaign well. It is not a basis if you will win or not.”

“I guess, Comelec should require surveys to declare who commissioned the survey,” she added.

“If we are the one who commissioned it, the results must be exclusive for us. It is a tool for us, for our campaign strategy and it is not for public consumption,” Binay said.