Binay back at the top; Duterte, Poe tied for 2nd

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay has regained his lead in the latest survey on presidential candidates conducted by Pulse Asia.

The non-commissioned poll, conducted from Dec. 4 to 11, found 33 percent of 1,200 respondents want Binay, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard-bearer, as president.

Binay’s rating jumped by 19 percent from the 14 percent he garnered in the Pulse Asia survey in September.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe, with 23 and 21 percent, respectively, were statistically tied at second place.

Duterte, who filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for president under the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan on Nov. 27, got a seven-point increase in his rating from 16 percent in September.

Poe suffered a five-point drop in her rating from 26 percent.

Liberal Party standard-bearer Mar Roxas took the fourth slot with 17 percent, down from 20 percent in September.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago was in fifth place with four percent, up from three percent in September.

Most favored

Duterte was the most favored presidential candidate in Mindanao, obtaining 43 percent voter preference.

In Metro Manila, Binay, Duterte and Poe shared the top spot, obtaining 30 percent, 27 percent and 21 percent, respectively.

In the rest of Luzon, Binay with 34 percent and Poe with 29 percent were the leading presidential bets.

Binay was also the top choice among Visayans with 34 percent and Roxas, 27 percent.

Binay was the top choice of those in Classes D and E at 30 percent and 42 percent, respectively.

Duterte, Roxas, Binay and Poe with voter preferences of 28 percent, 22 percent, 20 percent and 19 percent, respectively, were leading in Class ABC.

The survey has an error margin of plus or minus two percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.

Pulse Asia research director Ana Maria Tabunda said the ruling of the First and Second Divisions of the Commission on Elections cancelling the COC of Poe for failing to meet the citizenship and residency requirements of presidential candidates affected Poe’s rating.

“Some respondents thought she has been disqualified. Others may be unsure she can still run,” Tabunda said in a text message to The STAR.

Chiz tops VP race

Sen. Francis Escudero continued to be the top choice for vice president, garnering a 29 percent voter preference.

Escudero’s rating increased by six points from 23 percent in September.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took the second spot with 23 percent, up from 13 points in September.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano and Liberal Party vice presidential candidate Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo got 18 percent and 14 percent, respectively.

UNA vice presidential candidate Sen. Gregorio Honasan obtained nine percent. Honasan was not included in the Pulse Asia’s September 2015 electoral survey as he only announced his intention to run for vice president during the filing of COCs last October.

Independent vice presidential candidate Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s rating stayed at four percent.

Metro Manila residents and those in the rest of Luzon were most supportive of the vice presidential bids of Escudero (30 percent and 33 percent, respectively) and Marcos (28 percent and 26 percent, respectively).

In the Visayas, the leading candidates for vice president were Escudero, 27 percent; Robredo, 21 percent and Cayetano, 18 percent).

Most of the respondents from Mindanao were inclined to elect Duterte’s running mate Cayetano with 27 percent; Escudero, 21 percent and Marcos, 19 percent.

In Class ABC, the top choices for vice president are Escudero (26 percent), Marcos (20 percent), Robredo (18 percent), Cayetano (17 percent) and Honasan (11 percent).

Those in Class D are most likely to vote for Escudero (29 percent) while those in Class E are most supportive of the vice presidential bids of Escudero and Marcos, 29 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Welcome

Binay welcomed the results of the survey. “Surveys, as I often tell my supporters, are snapshots of our people’s sentiment at a given time,” he said, adding that the most important survey is on Election Day.

Binay said Filipinos continue to trust him despite the efforts of his opponents to destroy his and his family’s name.

He said he expects his opponents to continue their demolition campaign against him as elections draw near.

Affected

Poe and Escudero admitted the disqualification cases she is facing have affected her ranking in surveys.

“The disqualification cases thrown my way have created confusion among the people,” Poe said.

She expressed hope she could overcome the difficulties she is facing and prove that she is qualified to run for president.

“I will hurdle this and prove that I am a qualified and legitimate Filipino candidate. Sen. Grace Poe is still your candidate for president in 2016,” she said.

She said she regards surveys as a guide to “work harder, reach out to more people and get across my platform of governance, where no one is left behind.”

Escudero said he remains positive Poe would bounce back once the SC rules in her favor.

Unfazed

Roxas was unfazed by the latest Pulse Asia survey, saying the most important survey is during the Election Day.

“We have seen things are still volatile. Last month, Grace was on top. Last week, it was Duterte. Now it’s Binay. Maybe next time, I will be the frontrunner,” Roxas said.

He said what is important is he has a clean record, a clear platform on where to bring the country. “I’ll just continue my campaign,” he said. – With Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez, Aurea Calica, Alexis Romero