MANILA, Philippines — Thirteen candidates, mostly from the administration slate, have statistical chances of winning the Senate race if the elections were held this month, based on the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
Eight candidates backed by President Marcos are leading the Senate race, the Jan. 17 to 20 survey commissioned by Stratbase Group showed.
ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo remains on top of the list, receiving the support of 45 percent of respondents.
Following him were former Senate president Vicente Sotto III (38 percent), reelectionist senators Lito Lapid and Bong Go (both 37 percent), former senator Panfilo Lacson (35 percent), media personality Ben Tulfo (34 percent), Sen. Pia Cayetano and former senator Manny Pacquiao (both 33 percent), outgoing Makati Mayor Abby Binay (31 percent) and Sen. Ronald dela Rosa (30 percent).
Tied for the last two slots were Sen. Bong Revilla, television host Willie Revillame and former senator Francis Pangilinan, who all received 29 percent.
Of the 13 candidates, only Go, Ben Tulfo, Dela Rosa, Revillame and Pangilinan are not part of the administration’s Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas.
Go and Dela Rosa are running under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP Laban, while Ben Tulfo and Revillame are independents.
Pangilinan, who entered for the first time the “winning circle” of SWS polls, is running under the Liberal Party.
The SWS survey had 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of 2.31 percent.