BBM, Sara keep lead; Leni up by 5 points

MANILA, Philippines — Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio retained their lead in the latest pre-election survey conducted by Manila Broadcasting Company and DZRH. The March 12 survey showed Marcos leading with 49.8 percent, up 0.6 percent from the second wave survey of DZRH’s Desisyon 2022. Robredo, meanwhile, remained in far second with 21.4 percent, up by 5.2 point from 16.2 percent.

They were followed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno with 9.8 percent (down from 10.4 percent), Sen. Manny Pacquiao with eight percent (down from 8.2 percent) and Sen. Panfilo Lacson with 4.7 percent (down from 4.9 percent). In the vice presidential race, Duterte-Carpio retained her lead with 51.8 percent, up from 50.5 percent in the December 2021 survey. She was followed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III with 17.9 percent (down from 20.7 percent), Sen. Francis Pangilinan with 14.2 percent (up from 10.2 percent), doctor Willie Ong with 7.7 percent (down from 8.4 percent) and Buhay Party-List Rep. Lito Atienza with 1.2 percent (down from 2.2 percent). In the Senate race, former broadcaster Raffy Tulfo leads with 56.3 percent, followed by Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero (45.3 percent), former House speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (44.9 percent), re-electionist Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri (43.3 percent), former public works secretary Mark Villar (41.6 percent) and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda (41.1 percent).

They were followed by re-electionist Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian (38.8 percent), actor Robin Padilla (36.8 percent), former vice president Jejomar Binay (34.4 percent), re-electionist Senators Risa Hontiveros (32.2 percent) and Joel Villanueva (31.9 percent) and former senator Jinggoy Estrada (29.7 percent). Outside of the so-called “Magic 12” were former senators JV Ejercito (28 percent) and Gringo Honasan (27.7 percent), re-electionist Sen. Richard Gordon (25.7 percent), former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (23.6 percent), suspended lawyer Larry Gadon (19.9 percent), former senator Antonio Trillanes IV (18.1 percent), former Quezon City mayor and actor Herbert Bautista (17.6 percent) and human rights lawyer Chel Diokno (17.2 percent). The survey had 7,566 respondents and a margin of error of 1.13 percent, according to the pollsters.

PDP Laban endorsement The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi yesterday disclosed that most presidential candidates are seeking the party endorsement, including the camp of Sen. Manny Pacquiao, leader of the party's other faction, who reached out to them for support.

“There are communications sent to us wanting for a dialogue,” PDP-Laban secretary-general and cabinet secretary Melvin Matibag said in an interview over ANC. Another presidential aspirant who reached out for their support is Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

“Actually you will be surprised.

Most if not all, most of the presidential candidates want to talk to the party and the President,” Matibag said.

The ruling party has so far endorsed Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as their candidate for vice president.

PDP-Laban still has no candidate for president as they are still consulting their members and waiting for President Duterte's decision on who to endorse.

Matibag said they would decide which presidential candidate to support before the start of the campaign for local posts on March 25. On the decision of their partymate, Eastern Samar Governor Evardone, to support Vice President Leni Robredo, Matibag considers it a “personal” choice which does not speak of the entire party.

Matibag said around 60 percent to 70 percent of their 7,000 local candidates are still waiting for Duterte's decision while the remaining 30 percent are already supporting other candidates. – Alexis Romero, Emmanuel Tupas