Marcos, Sotto Top Commissioned SWS Poll; Leni Overtakes Isko

Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Senate President Vicente Sotto III emerged as the most preferred candidates for president and vice president, respectively, in a commissioned survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The Stratbase ADR Institute Inc. on Saturday, Nov. 13, confirmed to The Philippine STAR/One News.ph the results of the survey, which was conducted from Oct. 20 to 23.

Given the list of six presidential candidates, 47% of the respondents said they would vote for Marcos as president if the elections were held during the survey period.

Vice President Leni Robredo is on the second spot with 18%, followed by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno with 13%, Sen. Manny Pacquiao with 9% and Senators Panfilo Lacson and Ronald Dela Rosa with 5% each.

Some 3% of the respondents were undecided.

On the vice presidential race, Sotto was leading with 44% of support, followed by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio with 25%.

Tied on third spot were Sen. Francis Pangilinan and doctor Willie Ong with 13% each, followed by Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza with 3%.

The remaining 2% were undecided on the vice presidential race.

The survey did not include in the list of choices labor leader Leody De Guzman and former lawmaker Walden Bello who are running for president and vice president, respectively, under Partido Lakas ng Masa.

It was conducted before Duterte-Carpio formalized her vice presidential bid as a substitute candidate of the Lakas-CMD on Saturday, Nov. 13.

Read more: Sara Formalizes Substitution As VP Bet, Endorsed As Bongbong’s Running Mate

Sen. Bong Go, who originally filed his certificate of candidacy for vice president, also withdrew his candidacy and decided to run for president under Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan party. Dela Rosa also withdrew his candidacy for president.

Read more: Duterte Versus Duterte? Allies Say Rody To Run For VP; Go Running For President

Senate race

Stratbase also confirmed the results of the SWS commissioned survey for the Senate race conducted during the same period.

Still leading is the poll is broadcaster Raffy Tulfo with 60%, followed by former senators Sorsogon Gov. Francis Escudero with 51%, Taguig Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano with 50% and Antique Rep. Loren Legarda with 45% and re-electionist Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri with 44%.

Tied on sixth-seventh spots were former vice president Jejomar Binay and former public works secretary Mark Villar with 40% each, followed by re-electionist senator Risa Hontiveros with 36%, former senator Jinggoy Estrada with 33%, actor Robin Padilla with 29%, broadcaster Noli De Castro with 28% and reelectionist Sen. Joel Villanueva with 27%.

De Castro, a former senator and vice president, initially expressed his intention to run for the Senate but later decided not to file his certificate of candidacy.

Outside the so-called Magic 12 were former senator JV Ejercito and re-electionist Sen. Richard Gordon with 26% each, re-electionist Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian with 25%, actor and former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista with 16% and former senator Gregorio Honasan with 23%.

Training them were former senator Sonny Trillanes (21%), re-electionist Sen. Leila De Lima (11%), human rights lawyer Chel Diokno (10%), former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro (9%), former lawmakers Neri Colmenares and Monsour Del Rosario (7% each) and former agriculture secretary Manny Piñol (6%).

SWS has yet to confirm the poll results. The technical details of survey, including the number of respondents and margin of error, were not released by Stratbase, an international strategic research organization chaired by former foreign affairs secretary Albert Del Rosario.