Magdalo survey shows Villar in third place

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from: www.inquirer.net

[SIZE="3"]Magdalo survey shows Villar in third place[/SIZE]

By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:24:00 05/02/2010

MANILA, Philippines—Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar trailed behind Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and former President Joseph Estrada in a pre-election survey recently conducted by the Magdalo group of rebel soldiers, which has expressed support for the billionaire-politician's presidential bid.

The nationwide survey conducted from April 19 to 24 among 3,000 respondents nationwide had Aquino getting the nod from 39.6 percent of them; Estrada, 24.8 percent; and Villar, 23.6 percent.

Former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro got 7 percent; evangelist Eddie Villanueva, 2.6 percent; Sen. Richard Gordon, 0.8 percent; Sen. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, 0.2 percent; Ang Kapatiran standard bearer, John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes, 0.3 precent; environmentalist Nicanor Perlas, 0.2 percent; and disqualified candidate, Vetellano Acosta, 0.2 percent.

Those who did not give any answers comprised 1.1 percent of those surveyed.

Detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, the Magdalo's acknowledged leader, remained confident that the tide will turn in favor of Villar with eight days to go before Election Day.

While it would be a “cause for concern for Villar,” Trillanes said that Aquino's 16 percent lead over the NP standard-bearer was “not an insurmountable lead.”

Trillanes said his confidence stemmed from Villar's three-point increase in the National Capital Region (NCR), from 16 percent in March to 19.3 percent in April.

“The dynamics of Philippine campaign politics is the NCR starts the trend then radiates outward and eventually transfers to the provinces. But the first to form an opinion about anything is the NCR and all the rest will follow soon,” Trillanes said in reply to questions sent to the Inquirer.

“Even if he (Villar) went down nationally, the number in NCR went up which is already a positive sign for him that public opinion is about to change. But the question is, does he have time to overhaul the lead?” he added.

Trillanes said that the 70,000-strong Samahang Magdalo, the grassroots organization of the group that led the Oakwood mutiny in 2003 and the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007, would double their efforts to campaign for Villar.

In the Magdalo's April survey, Estrada leads in the NCR with 35.6 percent, followed by Aquino with 32.7 percent, and Villar with 19.3 percent. Estrada also topped the voters' preference in Region 10. All the rest of the regions were dominated by Aquino.

Aquino pulled away from his rivals in the latest opinion surveys. He had a 19 percentage lead over Estrada and Villar, who were tied in second place, in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

Trillanes said he has more trust in the Magdalo poll that used its own survey design after it correctly predicted his victory in the 2007 mid-term elections.

Trillanes was far from making it to the Magic 12 in the SWS and Pulse Asia surveys but landed 11th place after the Commission on Elections’ canvassed the votes.

Trillanes was optimistic that Marine Col. Ariel Querubin and Army Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, his fellow detained military officers seeking Senate seats in these elections, would be elected judging from the survey results.

Lim and Querubin ranked 10th and 11th, with 32.9 percent and 30.3 percent, respectively.

The Magdalo's pre-election survey for the Senate race had re-electionist senators Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. (56.1 percent), Miriam Defensor-Santiago (55.4 percent); and Jinggoy Estrada (53.9 percent) in the top three ranks.

They were followed by former Justice Secretary Franklin Drilon, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, former Sen. Serge Osmena, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Ilocos Norte Gov. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., former Sen. Tito Sotto, Lim, Querubin, and former Sen. Ralph Recto.

The Magdalo has embargoed the results of its vice presidential survey due to a confidentiality clause, said Trillanes.

[kimberlyward]

from: www.inquirer.net

isn't it that the afp should be impartial when it comes to politics talk? the media and the rest of us should not allow them nor encourage them to violate the rule set for them during elections. so what if they think if Villar is in the third place?