Survey: Grace Poe tops Senate bets; Otso Diretso out of Magic 12

MANILA, Philippines — Reelectionist Sen. Grace Poe topped the latest survey for senatorial bets by Pulse Asia, which showed all Otso Diretso candidates out of the Magic 12.

The survey, conducted from March 23 to 27 with the results released on Thursday, showed Poe retaining her lead with 72.6 percent of 1,800 respondents saying they would vote for her.

Ten of 16 candidates who have a statistical chance of winning in the midterm elections are from the Hugpong ng Pagbagago (HNP), the pollster said. 

Among them are Sen. Cynthia Villar, who placed second with 63.7 percent voter preference, followed by Sen. Sonny Angara in third to fourth spots with 58.5 percent voter preference.

Former special assistant to the president Bong Go ranked third to fifth spots with 55.7 percent, followed by Taguig City Rep. Pia Cayetano in fourth to sixth places with 52.2 percent voter preference.

Former senator Lito Lapid of the Nationalist People’s Coalition landed in fifth to eighth places with 48.4 percent.

Tied at sixth to ninth places were Sen. Nancy Binay and former national police chief Ronald dela Rosa, also of the HNP, with 45.5 percent and 44.8 percent voter preference, respectively.

They were followed by former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. (seventh to 10th place, 40.9 percent), Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos (ninth to 12th places, 39 percent), former presidential adviser on political affairs Francis Tolentino (10th to 16th places, 35.7 percent) and former senator Jinggoy Estrada (10th to 16th places, 35.2 percent).

Out of the Magic 12 are Otso Diretso candidate Sen. Bam Aquino (33.8 percent) and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III (33.6 percent) and former senators Sergio Osmeña III (33 percent) and Manuel Roxas II (31.3 percent), also of Otso Diretso.

Aquino, Pimentel and Osmeña ranked 11th to 16th places. Roxas’ voter preference slipped to 11th to 17th spot, down from his 8th to 12th in Pulse Asia’s survey in February.

Trailing them are Sen. JV Ejercito (28.1 percent), former senate president Juan Ponce Enrile (19.6 percent), administration candidate Dong Mangudadatu (13.8 percent), Jiggy Manicad (11.5 percent) and doctor Willie Ong (11.2 percent).

They were followed by former Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares (8.1 percent), lawyer Larry Gadon (6.7 percent), singer Freddie Aguilar (6.6 percent) and educator Agnes Escudero (5.6 percent).

Other Otso Diresto bets out of Magic 12 are former lawmaker Erin Tañada (5.3 percent), election lawyer Romulo Macalintal (5.2 percent), human rights advocate Samira Gutoc (4.8 percent), human rights lawyer Chel Diokno (4.6 percent) and Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano (3.5 percent).

The survey has an error margin of +/-2.3 percent at 95 percent confidence level.

‘Operation vs Bam Aquino, Mar Roxas’

Vice President Leni Robredo yesterday slammed what she said was an operation to reduce the chances of Aquino and Roxas winning in the upcoming polls.

“To a certain extent, the operation against the two seems to be working. There is really an operation for them not to be in the top 12,” Robredo said. “We need to put extra effort to contradict this strategy.”

The latest Pulse Asia survey showed Aquino and Roxas at 11th to 16th and 11th to 17th places, respectively.

Roxas was within the Magic 12 in the February survey, ranking eighth to 12th spot.

The opposition candidates vowed to campaign harder to woo more voters before the polls.

Administration senatorial bets thanked the public for trusting them.

Go maintains strong showing

Go said his ranking in the Pulse Asia survey is proof that the people still trust the Duterte brand of service.

“It shows that the Filipinos are intelligent voters as they remain unaffected by the recent mudslinging tactics and black propaganda hurled against him,” Go said.

He vowed to work harder to continue to serve the people.

Go’s voter preference increased from 53 percent in February to 55.7 percent in March, landing him in 3rd to 5th spot.

He thanked President Duterte, saying his support is a major factor in his strong performance in the senatorial surveys.   –  With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Robertzon Ramirez, Ghio Ong