Reelectionists still lead Senate race in new Pulse Asia survey

Incumbent and former senators seeking reelection dominated once again the latest pre-election survey conducted by Pulse Asia last month. Leading them are incumbent Senators Ramon Bong Revilla and Jose “Jinggoy" Estrada, who scored 53.0 percent and 52.1 percent, respectively. The two also led the recent survey of the Social Weather Stations. The Pulse Asia survey on the preference for the 61 senatorial bets was conducted from March 21 to 28, with 3,000 adult respondents. Revilla and Estrada were followed by three incumbent senators — Miriam Defensor Santiago (46.2 percent), Pilar Juliana “Pia" Cayetano (42.7 percent), and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (42.1 percent). Trailing are three former senators — Franklin Drilon (41.1 percent), former Dangerous Drugs Board chair Vicento “Tito" Sotto III (35.1 percent), and former Socioeconomic planning chair Ralph Recto (32.5 percent). Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., who picked up 2.4 points to score 30.6 percent, ranked eighth to tenth. He is followed by former Senator Sergio Osmeña III, who received a 27.9 voting preference. Rounding up to the top 12 are Senator Manuel "Lito" Lapid (23.9 percent) and Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto "TG" Guingona III (22.7 percent). But because of the survey’s ± 2 percent error margin, 14 of the 61 senatorial bets "would have a probable chance" of making it to Top 12, Pulse Asia said. Thus, businessman Jose “Joey" De Venecia III and Gwendolyn Pimentel, who scored 21.4 percent, and 19.6 percent, respectively, have high chances of winning. Pimentel is the daughter of Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

Rise and fall Between Pulse Asia’s surveys last February and last month, there were "no significant changes in the voting preference of these candidates." However, it noted that Santiago and Drilon posted the most marked movements. Santiago declined by 3.2 percentage points while Drilon also slipped by 3.9 percentage points. For those outside the "winners’ circle," Pulse Asia said the ratings of lawyer Alex Lacson and detained former Army general Danilo Lim improved. Lacson gained 5.1 points to score 13.3 percent, while Lim picked up 4.3 points to score 14.7 percent. Voting support for Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino “Ruffy" Biazon and Akbayan Rep. Ana Theresia “Risa" Hontiveros-Baraquel also declined. Biazon lost 4.2 percent and scored 18.5 percent, while the lady representative’s 16.8 percent in February sank to 11.7 percent in March — a decline of 5.1 points. Drilon, Lacson, Lim, Biazon, and Hontiveros-Baraquel are candidates of the Liberal Party, while Defensor is a guest candidate of both the Nacionalista Party and the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino. — RSJ/LBG, GMANews.TV