Duterte maintains 12-point lead in latest Pulse Asia survey

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte maintained his lead of 12 percentage points over Sen. Grace Poe in the latest presidential survey released by Pulse Asia on Tuesday.

Duterte got 35 percent in the latest survey while Poe got 23 percent.

Former Interior secretary Mar Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay were statistically tied for third place with 17 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago got 2 percent.

The survey results also showed that undecided respondents comprised 5 percent of those polled.

Pulse Asia said the survey was conducted from April 16 to 20, using face-to-face interview with 1,800 registered voters. It had a ± 2.3% error margin at the 95% confidence level.

It added that subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins at 95% confidence level: ± 6.5% for Metro Manila, ± 3.5% for the rest of Luzon, ± 5.2% for Visayas and ± 4.7% for Mindanao.

In the Pulse Asia survey conducted from April 12 to 17 and released hours before the final PiliPinas Debates 2016 on Sunday, Duterte got 34 percent, ahead by 12 percentage points over Poe's 22 percent rating.

The April 12 to 17 survey had 4,000 respondents with an error margin of ± 1.5 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.

On Tuesday, Pulse Asia said the latest results show that more than one in three Filipinos are supporting Duterte's presidential bid.

Pulse Asia noted that the survey was conducted at the time that news broke out about Duterte's controversial remarks during a campaign rally about the rape and killing of an Australian missionary during a 1989 prison riot in Davao City.

Several groups criticized Duterte for the remarks.

His political party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), released a statement of apology. 

Defending her father, former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte claimed that she was also a rape victim but was not offended by her father’s rape joke.

A complaint for violations of the Magna Carta of Women was filed before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) by several women’s groups but Duterte dismissed this as being politically motivated.

By demographic

In the latest survey results, Pulse Asia said Duterte led in Metro Manila with 40 percent, Mindanao with 58 percent and all socioeconomic classes (43 percent in ABC, 32 percent in D and 40 percent in E).

It added that the mayor shared the lead with Roxas in the Visayas with 32 percent and 27 percent, respectively.

Poe, Binay and Duterte, meanwhile, led in Luzon with 28 percent, 23 percent and 22 percent, respectively.

Second choice

Poe, meanwhile, led as the "second choice" presidential candidate with 32 percent.

She was followed by Binay with 16 percent, Duterte with 14 percent and Roxas with 13 pecent. Santiago got 6 percent.

At the sidelines of her visit to Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Poe said she would rather believe a survey which shows her lagging behind so she would not grow complacent in the homestretch of the campaign.

"Mas importante sa akin na paniwalaan mo ang survey kung saan mababa ka para hindi ka nagre-relax at talagang mas lalo kang magpupursige na umikot," she said.

While Poe believes only the people could decide the worthiness of their leaders, she said the next president should always observe respect, particularly for women. 

"Wala 'yan sa kasarian pero kailangan ay panatilihin natin ang paggalang lalung-lalo na sa isang pangulo na pangulo ng lahat," she said.

Ruling coalition spokesperson Akbayan Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez said they remain firm that Roxas and his running mate, Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Leni Robredo, will prevail despite the latest survey results.

“These past few days, ordinary Filipinos have come out for Mar and Leni and to stand up for the belief that together we can have a Philippines that is prosperous and inclusive, peaceful and decent, just and kind,” Gutierrez said.

“Their belief was articulated in Mar's final words in the Sunday debate. The tide has turned, these last two weeks will prove the difference,” he added.

For its part, Malacañang said the most important survey will be held on election day, May 9.

“We trust that our Bosses will manifest their desire for the continuity of the gains achieved under the good governance platform,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a statement.

Aside from Duterte's rape remarks, news developments during the survey period include:

• death of 13 Abu Sayyaf Group members in a clash in Basilan
• clash between protesters and policemen in Kidapawan City
• hacking of the Commission on Elections website
• Durterte's debate challenge to Binay
• allegations of vote-buying against the Liberal Party based on a viral video clip
• Comelec-sanctioned vice presidential debate at the University of Santo Tomas
• start of the overseas absentee voting
• final decision of the Supreme Court on the disqualification petitions against Poe
• assurance of the Department of Energy of continuous power supply on May 9, election day
• Senate hearings into the US$81-million money laundering scam
• the Sandiganbayan's granting of bail to Janet Lim-Napoles
• the Ombudsman indictment of former PNP chier Alan Purisima and former PNP-SAF chief Getulio Napeñas
• victory of Manny Pacquiao over Timothy Bradley
• statement by US Defense Secretary Ash Carter that the US and the Philippines have begun joint patrols in the South China Sea.

— with Xianne Arcangel and Kathrina Charmaine Alvarez/ALG/RSJ/TJD, GMA News