Moreno’s camp confident despite survey dip

MANILA, Philippines — The camp of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno yesterday said it remains confident of an upset win for the Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer despite dipping numbers in the latest survey.

In the Pulse Asia survey conducted April 16-21, Moreno slid to fourth place with four percent, down from eight percent in the March survey. He was overtaken by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, who got seven percent.

“We are confident still that our standard bearer will pull off a surprise on May 9,” Aksyon party chair Ernest Ramel said.

The survey was conducted among 2,400 respondents during a period that covered the widely panned Easter Sunday press conference, which was intended as a broad unity call among survey laggards until Moreno went off script and challenged Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw from the race.

Political pundits said the press conference adversely affected the mayor’s candidacy, while it benefitted that of Pacquiao, who did not appear despite being invited.

The Moreno camp denied the mayor’s outbursts in the briefing backfired on their candidate. The mayor had denied getting carried away by his emotions and his grudge against the Vice President.

In defending his principal, Ramel cited an internal survey by app-based polling firm Tangere that showed Moreno with 20 percent and in second place as of April 22. He did not elaborate.

Moreno registered his lowest placing in the latest Pulse Asia survey since he declared his presidential bid last year. Moreno’s Pulse Asia ratings ranged from eight percent to ten percent from January to March, and his OCTA Research survey ranged from nine to 12 percent in the December, February and April surveys.

Moreno skipped his scheduled motorcade around Quezon city yesterday, hours after the release of the Pulse Asia survey.

He was not available yesterday for a chance interview with the media, usually taking place before a campaign event.

His running mate Dr. Willie Ong only told media that the mayor had to skip the event for an “important meeting.”

Just around 5 p.m. Moreno went live on his Facebook page doing an ocular inspection at the Bagong Ospital ng Maynila.

With just days before the end of the campaign period, his scheduled sortie today in Quezon province was also cancelled, although no reason was given to the media.