DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 15 Aug) – Majority of the Dabawenyos would throw support behind Mayor Sara Duterte if she would run for senator in next year’s midterm elections, a survey conducted by the Institute of Popular Opinion (IPO) showed.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. MINDANEWS PHOTO
Dr. Maria Linda B. Arquiza, assistant vice president of the Research and Publication Center of the University of Mindanao’s IPO, said during “Wednesdays at Habi at Kape” that at least 97% of Dabawenyos would vote for the presidential daughter while only 3% indicated they will not.
Results of the survey, conducted from July 13 to July 18 on 1,200 respondents, also showed that the presidential daughter obtained 84% approval from Dabawenyos when asked of her readiness to hold a national post.
Arquiza said 98% of the Dabawenyos can bet on the mayor’s experience in politics making her ready for the national position while 95% believe that her talents can make her way to the senatorial slot.
But she said 58% of Dabawenyos think that the mayor should improve her political machinery to make it to national politics because only half believed her regional party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), can catapult her to the national political arena.
The survey also showed 75% of the respondents believed Duterte will run for senator while 25% thought otherwise because of her previous pronouncement that she would only run if irked by the opposition party.
“It’s too early to tell. Remember that the survey measures public opinion and public opinion always shifts and remember just like the presidential elections, our President always ranked low at the start and he slowly gained his rank until he won,” Arquiza said.
Of the those who believed she would run, Arquiza said 91% of them consider her decision to run as senator is good for President Rodrigo R. Duterte while the remaining 9% believed otherwise.
The survey also included a list of possible candidates who will run for mayor just in case Mayor Sara would opt to run for a national post.
Arquiza said resigned Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte emerged on top with 49%, followed by Davao City’s 1st District Representative Karlo Alexei Nograles with 38%, Bernie Al-ag 5%, Councilor Danilo Dayanghriang 2%, Councilor Mabel Sunga Acosta 2%, presidential son Sebastian “Baste” Duterte 0.58%, lawyer Manases Carpio 0.17%, and January Duterte 0.08%.
The survey also indicated possible senatorial candidates the Dabawenyos would support include Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go who ranked first, followed by PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa. Senators Grace Poe, Sonny Angara, Koko Pimentel, and Pia Cayetano tied at third place; Neri Colmenares, Francies Tolentino, and JV Ejercito tied statistically at 7 to 9 ranks; Senators Cynthia Villar and Nancy Binay tied at 10 to 11.
Other candidates who will make for the 12th spot include Lito Lapid, Bam Aquino, TG Guingona III, Jose Christopher Belmonte, and Kiko Pangilinan. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
