Re-electionists Poe, Villar top SWS senatorial poll

MANILA, Philippines — Re-electionist and former senators dominated the list of most preferred candidates in the senatorial elections next year, according to a recent survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The commissioned survey, conducted from April 7 to 11, showed re-electionist Sens. Grace Poe and Cynthia Villar leading the list of preferred candidates with 59 percent and 41 percent, respectively.

The STAR obtained the results yesterday and has permission from the survey’s sponsor to release the results.

They were followed by Taguig Rep. and former senator Pia Cayetano (37 percent), Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (32 percent), Sen. Nancy Binay (31 percent), former senator Jinggoy Estrada (29 percent), Sen. Sonny Angara (27 percent) and former senator Lito Lapid (26 percent).

Former senator Serge Osmeña tied in the 9th to 10th spot with former Social Security System chairman Amado Valdez, the only non-re-electionist in the so-called Magic 12. They obtained 23 percent.

Rounding up the top 12 are re-electionist Sens. Bam Aquino and JV Ejercito, with 21 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

Tied in 13th to 14th spot with 17 percent are former Philippine National Police director general and incumbent Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald dela Rosa and outgoing Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Following them are outgoing Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos (16 percent), former Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino (seven percent), special assistant to the President Christopher Go (five percent) and presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. (five percent).

Other names included in the survey were Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, former chief justice Reynato Puno, Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali, Presidential Communications Operations Office assistant secretary Mocha Uson, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III and Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez.

Presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who ranked high in previous polls, appeared to have not been included in the commissioned survey, which used a “structured questionnaire with visuals.”

It polled 1,200 adults and has an error margin of +/- three percent for national percentages.