politicians Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada bested other senatorial candidates in the latest Pulse Asia survey released Friday. The survey, conducted from Jan. 22 to 26, showed Revilla with a voter preference rating of 51.9 percent while Estrada got 50.4 percent. With a 2 percent error margin, the two senators are virtually tied at first place. The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,800 respondents, 18 years old and above. Both Revilla and Estrada are seeking reelection. Revilla is running under the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD while Estrada is with the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP). Two other actor-politicians also got into the 12 most-preferred senatorial candidates: former Dangerous Drugs Board chair Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (30.5 percent) and Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid (29.7 percent). Most of the candidates who got into the Top 12 were re-electionist and former senators. Following Estrada were Senator Pia Cayetano (46.8 percent), former Senate President Frank Drilon (43.2 percent), Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (41.2 percent) and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (39.7). Following them were former Senators Ralph Recto (34.4 percent) and Serge Osme?a III (31.6 percent), Sotto, and Lapid (reelectionist). The only candidates in the top 12 who did not have previous stints in the Senate were Ilocos Rep. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (26.3 percent) and 24 percent for businessman Jose “Joey” de Venecia III, son of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. Senatorial candidates of the Liberal Party nearly made it to the Top 12: Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon, Bukidnon Rep. Teofisto Guingona III, lawyer Alex Lacson, and Sonia Roco, wife of the late Senator Raul Roco. Militant party-list representatives and detained military men gunning Senate seats did not make it to the list. Detained former Army Scout Ranger commander Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim ranked somewhere along 17th to 24th with his 11.4-percent rating. He was trailed by fellow LP senatorial candidate Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, who received 11 percent. Rep. Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna got only 4.2 percent, while his fellow militant lawmaker Liza Maza of Gabriela got 4 percent. Former Marine Lt. Col. Ariel Querubin, who is detained for an alleged coup attempt in February 2006 along with Lim, received 3.9 percent. All three are running under the Nacionalista Party of Senator Manuel Villar Jr. Bantay Rep. Jovito Palparan, known for his strong anti-communist stance during his time as Army general, ranked even lower with only 2.4 percent. Palparan had earlier said he is running for the Senate to go against the militant lawmakers.
