Alejano, Tomawis, Diokno not bothered by survey results

Some opposition senatorial aspirants are unfazed by the recent senatorial survey results showing incumbent and former senators as well as other popular personalities topping the list.

Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano emphasized that senatorial aspirants from the opposition are not focusing their attention on results of surveys.

"Hindi naman po kami tumitingin sa surveys, kami ay tumitingin sa sentimiyento ng [taumbayan]. Naniniwala kami na kapag binigyan natin ng boses ang [taumbayan], naniniwala kami na mananalo kami," Alejano said at a press conference on Friday.

The former Marine captain also said the public should withdraw from name recall if they want genuine change in the system of government.

"Sa tingin ko tigilan na natin itong name-recall na hindi naman natin nakikilala 'yung totoong tao. Kung gusto ho nating magbago ang klase ng serbisyo na ibinibigay ng opisyal na gobyerno sa taong-bayan, baguhin na rin natin ang ating pagiisip. Baguhin na rin natin ang pagboboto sa mga opisyales ng gobyerno," Alejano said.

For her part, Marawi civic leader and Maranao rights advocate Samira Gutoc-Tomawis said the public will start to recognize her as she recently filed her certificate of candidacy (COC).

"Siyempre para sa aking taga-Mindanao, definitely surveys would not be the total measurement of performance level. In fact po marami po akong kababayan as far as Tawi-Tawi, hindi nasu-survey..." Gutoc-Tomawis said.

"As of yesterday lang po kami nakapagfile di ba po? So ngayon lang tayo makikilala. With the help of media, please help us reach the Filipino people," she added.

Gutoc-Tomawis urged the public to give indigenous people the chance to serve in government.

"Hindi kami artista.... iakyat ninyo ang antas ng diskusyon, iakyat ninyo ang antas ng diskurso. Bigyan ninyo ng tsansa ang mga taga-islands po, mga indigenous people," she said.

Gutoc-Tomawis stepped down from her post as a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) when Mindanao was put under martial law as a result of the hostilities in Marawi City last year.

On the other hand, De La Salle University College of Law dean Jose Manuel “Chel” Diokno underscored that he does not care about surveys as he is only aiming for justice for the poor.

"Wala po akong pakialam sa survey. Hindi ko rin naman inaasahan na buong Pilipinas malalaman nila kung sino ako," Diokno said.

"Ang importante sa akin ay mapagusapan natin ang katarungan lalong-lalo na sa mahihirap," he added.

It was Senator Cynthia Villar who landed first in the senatorial survey commissioned by presidential adviser on political affairs and prospective administration candidate Francis Tolentino.

Respondents were presented with a list of candidates and were asked to choose 12 names in answering the question, "If elections were to take place today, whom would you most probably vote for as senators of the Philippines?"

In the said survey, Alejano ranked 22nd while Diokno was in the 23rd to 24th spot.

Earlier in the day, Alejano, Diokno and Gutoc-Tomawis were formally endorsed by cause-oriented group Tindig Pilipinas as it said it is sick of patronage in politics. — RSJ, GMA News