Marcos Jr. Keeps Lead Ahead of Philippine Presidential Poll
Marcos Jr. Keeps Lead Ahead of Philippine Presidential Election
(Bloomberg) -- Former Philippine Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. retained his lead in the presidential race while his closest rival, Vice President Leni Robredo, remained a distant second, according to the latest survey by pollster Pulse Asia Research Inc.
The late dictator’s son was favored by 56% of respondents in April, unchanged from the previous month. Robredo got 23% of the support, down from 24% previously, while boxer-turned politician Manny Pacquiao edged out Manila Mayor Isko Moreno to take third place with 7%. The survey of 2,400 adults nationwide was conducted from April 16 to 21. The election will be held on May 9.
“We are optimistic. We are confident, but we are never complacent and that is our guarded optimism,” Marcos Jr.’s Chief of Staff Vic Rodriguez said in a statement after the survey results were released. He urged supporters to ensure their votes are counted on election day.
The survey was carried out around the time that a division of the Commission on Elections dismissed the last petition seeking to disqualify Marcos Jr. from the election. Also around that time, Moreno called on Robredo to withdraw from the race, as he and two other candidates declared that they won’t back out.
Marcos Jr.’s numbers were generally steady and reflected support from all socio-economic classes and in most geographic areas, Pulse Asia said. For Robredo, there’s a 9-percentage point increase in support in the vote-rich Metro Manila region and a 6-percentage point decline in the rest of the main Luzon island, it said.
Robredo’s campaign remains hopeful of pulling off an upset with spokesman Barry Gutierrez saying the survey hasn’t captured the massive rallies she managed to mount after mid-April.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Marcos Jr.’s running mate and the president’s daughter, similarly kept her lead in the vice-presidential race, favored by 55% of respondents. Her closest rival, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto, got 18%.
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