Sotto, Pangilinan: Public sentiment on Eleksyon 2022 may still change over time

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Francis Pangilinan on Wednesday said public sentiment on Eleksyon 2022 will still change over time.

Their statements came a day after presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and President Rodrigo Duterte topped the lists of preferred presidential and vice presidential candidates, respectively, for 2022 national and local elections in the latest Pulse Asia Survey.

“Maaga pa. Mula pa nung 1992, halos lahat ng mga lumalamang sa umpisa sa mga survey sa nakaraang mga [presidential] elections, hindi nananalo. So malaking posibilidad na magbabago pa ang sentimyento ng mamamayan,” Pangilinan said in a text message to reporters.

(It is too early to conclude. Since 1992, all those who topped the surveys at the early part of the election season, lost the presidential elections. So there is still a huge chance that the public sentiment will still change.)

For Sotto, the survey results are “amusing” but he said the survey will be more accurate if the names are not mixed up in both presidential and vice presidential categories.

“Amusing. I'm quite versed with surveys. A more accurate reading would be better if there are no 15 names listed in both categories. Names are scrambled in both,” he said.

“Let's wait for the survey when all names are already candidates and not scrambled in both categories. Then it can be used as a guide and not just amusing,” he added.

Sotto ranked third in the preferred vice presidential bet for 2022 elections in the latest Pulse Asia survey.

The list was topped by Duterte. He was followed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

The Senate chief has yet to officially declare his 2022 elections plans.

Sotto and Senator Panfilo Lacson will officially announce their 2022 plans on August 5.

Earlier, Sotto said he will be Lacson’s running mate if the latter decides to seek the country’s highest elective post.

Lacson confirmed this, saying it was “cast in stone” that Sotto would be his running mate if he seeks the presidency.

Nevertheless, Lacson maintained that he was still “processing very carefully” if he will run for president. — RSJ, GMA News