SWS poll: 8-5 for PPC

At least eight candidates of the administration People Power Coalition (PPC) would win seats in the Senate if elections were held today.

This was the result of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey which showed independent candidate and broadcaster Noli de Castro leading the poll with 52 percent.

De Castro was followed by re-electionist Sen. Juan Flavier (45 percent), Makati Rep. Joker Arroyo (45 percent) and former Senate president Frank-lin Drilon (45 percent). The figures were rounded off.

Re-electionist Senators Ramon Magsaysay Jr. (44 percent) and Sergio Osmeña III (41 percent) also made it to the list while lawyer Francis Pangilinan (38 percent), Batangas Rep. Ralph Recto (37 percent) and former Speaker Manuel Villar Jr. (32 percent) are likely to enter the Senate for the first time.

Aside from De Castro and the PPC candidates, four pro-Estrada candidates will likely win with the 13th and final slot being a toss-up between re-electionist Senators Gregorio Honasan and Juan Ponce Enrile.

The leading opposition candidates are former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Panfilo Lacson (35 percent), re-electionist Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (34 percent), former Executive Secretary Edgardo Angara (32 percent), and Honasan and Enrile (31 percent).

The survey, commissioned by the PPC, was conducted among 1,500 respondents all over the country from Feb. 22 to 25 but coalition stalwarts are still hoping they can still pull off a 13-0 sweep.

"We are confident that more PPC candidates will be in the Magic 13 in the coming May 14 elections," Magsaysay said, dismissing criticisms that the PPC’s campaign was in "disarray."

PPC senatorial candidate and former Sen. Wigberto Tañada said the PPC’s campaign is now more coordinated although coordination means getting agreement among seven disparate political parties.

"In our meeting (on Tuesday), we were informed that the schedule for the rest of the campaign period has already been finalized and we will be following that come March 15," Tañada said during the Ciudad Fernandina breakfast forum in Greenhills, San Juan.

The PPC candidates are undergoing intensive briefings that range from issues to tips on their physical appearance while on the campaign trail.
Arroyo, for instance, was urged to comb his hair before appearing in front of television cameras or in campaign rallies. "That’s fine by me, but my problem is I don’t bring a comb. Besides, I might look unnatural," Arroyo said.

An unidentified PPC candidate has also reportedly consulted with a feng shui expert, or geomancer, from Hong Kong who told him to always wear purple briefs.

"I’ve heard of that but I don’t know who that is. But I assure you, I’m not the one," said Villar, who earlier said he would eat fire if he must to get the voters’ attention.

But Ilocos Norte Gov. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos predicted that instead of pulling away, the administration lead in the Senate would whittle down.

"Baka magulat sila (They may be surprised)," Marcos said, predicting that the election result would be a split vote. "It would be very suspicious to me if it comes out 13-0 for the administration."

Meanwhile, President Arroyo’s party, Lakas-NUCD-UMDP, yesterday denied the allegation of former Sen. Santanina Rasul that the Arroyo administration was treating Muslims like "second-class citizens."

"Rasul has become conveniently blind to what the Arroyo administration is doing to fasttrack Mindanao’s development to please her new masters in the opposition which she just joined as the 13th senatorial bet," said Sanchez "Ching" Alih, founder of the United Muslim Democratic Party (UMDP).

Alih said Rasul was only sour-graping against the PPC because she was dumped during the candidate selection process.

"Rasul is only sour-graping for failing to land in the senatorial slate of the People Power Coalition, whose platform of government includes the full development of Mindanao," Alih said.