Comelec asked to stop pre-election surveys

MANILA, Philippines — Senatorial aspirant Larry Gadon yesterday asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to stop Pulse Asia Research Inc. and Social Weather Stations (SWS) from publishing pre-election surveys as he questioned their accuracy.

In a 10-page petition, Gadon said the Comelec should direct the two firms to “cease and desist” from publishing “bogus survey results calculated to mislead voters pertinent” to the coming senatorial race when the campaign period starts on Feb. 12.

Gadon alleged the surveys of the two firms are “erroneous,” “slanted” and “bogus” and do not even reveal the respondents covered. 

He noted the surveys also cover a small sample size so they could not produce credible results. 

He cited that of the 55 million voters, sample population must be at least 16,572 to be credible. Instead, the surveys only cover 1,500 or 1,800 sample size.

“With all these discrepancies and the very small sampling population for surveys conducted by the respondents, it is evident that the results are erroneous, if not totally manufactured or fake,” he added.

Gadon claimed that surveys are “seemingly a mind-conditioning scheme of the respondents to make it appear before the voting public that their chosen candidates are preferred, when in fact they are not.”

“Allowing the continued publication of these questionable surveys will run counter to this Honorable Commission’s avowed objective of holding free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections,” Gadon added.

Gadon has been lagging behind in recent senatorial surveys.

He said he would have landed in the top 12 if the surveys reflected real voter preference. – With Helen Flores