Go, Tulfo still leading among Senate bets – SWS

MANILA, Philippines —  Less than a month before the midterm elections, administration-backed candidates continue to dominate the latest Senate preference poll conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

But it was reelectionist Sen. Bong Go, a close ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who topped the pre-election survey conducted from April 11 to 15.

Go obtained the support of 45 percent of the respondents, closely followed by ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo with 43 percent.

Also in the “Magic 12” were Sen. Lito Lapid (34 percent), former Senate president Vicente Sotto III (33 percent), Sen. Pia Cayetano (33 percent), Sen. Ronald dela Rosa (32 percent), Sen. Bong Revilla (31 percent), media personality Ben Tulfo (31 percent), Makati Mayor Abby Binay (29 percent), Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar (28 percent) and former senators Panfilo Lacson (26 percent) and Manny Pacquiao (25 percent).

Of the 12, nine are official candidates of the Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate of President Marcos: Erwin Tulfo, Lapid, Sotto, Cayetano, Revilla, Binay, Villar, Lacson and Pacquiao.

Go and Dela Rosa are running under Duterte’s PDP-Laban, while Ben Tulfo is an independent.

Villar – who is running under the Nacionalista Party that is part of the administration coalition – has also received the endorsement of Vice President Sara Duterte.

Meanwhile, outside the winning circle are television host Willie Revillame, Sen. Imee Marcos, former senators Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan, actor Phillip Salvador, former interior secretary Benhur Abalos, former senator Gregorio Honasan, SAGIP Rep. Rodante Marcoleta and Sen. Francis Tolentino.

The SWS survey had 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus 2.31 percent.

Go expressed gratitude to the Filipino people for ranking him No. 1 in the recent SWS senatorial survey, as he vowed to serve with even greater dedication.

He reaffirmed his commitment to prioritizing national interests and the welfare of poor Filipinos, promising to bring vital services closer to underserved communities. – Cecille Suerte Felipe