Poe, Binay remain at 1-2, but Roxas gains biggest ground in latest Pulse Asia poll

Senator Grace Poe topped Pulse Asia's latest presidential preference survey with 27 percentage points.

Vice President Jejomar Binay placed second with 21 while former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas was third with 18.

The survey was commissioned for ABS-CBN and was conducted nationwide from August 27 to September 3 from 1,200 respondents with a margin of error of plus-minus three points.

Roxas gained eight percentage points in the latest survey to move up a notch to third place in the latest survey results. He was fourth in Pulse Asia's last poll results released in June, when he had 10.

Poe remains on top even after losing three percentage points from 30 in June.

The survey was done while the Iglesia ni Cristo held massive demonstrations on EDSA and in Manila to protest what it called the government's interference in its affairs.

Poe defended the Iglesia ni Cristo's right to hold protest actions and her remarks drew flak from critics who said she was pandering to the politically influential religious group.

Binay had 22 percentage points in June but remained at second place with 21.

Roxas, who got the endorsement of President Benigno Aquino III last July 31, overtook erstwhile third placer Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who had 15 percentage points in both the June and September surveys.

The respondents were  given a list and were asked the question, "Of the people on this list, whom would you vote for as President of the Philippines if the 2016 elections were held today and they were the candidates."

The respondents were given the option to mention others who were not on the list.

The survey was conducted before Poe declared her candidacy for president last week.

Former Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have five percentage points in the September survey results.

Others that had percentage points were Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago with four, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano with one, and former Senator Panfilo Lacson with one. —NB/JST, GMA News