Poll results show Filipinos’ continued trust in Duterte admin

FILE: VOTING PRECINCT. Voters fill up their ballots for the Mid-Term Elections in Precinct No. 109325 at Dela Paz Elementary School, Antipolo City, on Monday (May 13, 2019). Some 61 million Filipinos are expected to participate in this year’s polls. (PNA photo by Rico Borja)

MANILA — A Catholic prelate said the results of the just-concluded mid-term polls show that Filipinos still trust the Duterte administration.

This, as candidates of the administration dominate the top 12 of the senatorial race based on partial unofficial tally of votes.

“Yes, we must admit that our people still place their trust and future to the present administration. Given a fresh mandate, let us pray they will live up to our expectations, and we will not be sorry we have elected them,” Balanga Bishop Ruperto Santos said in an interview Tuesday.

He is also hoping and praying that elected national and local officials will follow their mandate by serving the people.

“It is our prayer and hope that our elected officials will truly work at service of our people, not for certain person or political party. And they will not fail us, nor fail us again,” the bishop said.

Santos, who is also the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (CBCP-ECMI), noted that the results of the polls should be respected.

“Our people has spoken. It is their will, and we have to respect it,” Santos added.

The chairman of the CBCP-ECMI appealed to the people and the newly-elected officials of the country to work for a better and successful Philippines.

Among the candidates who are running under the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) that are topping the senatorial race, based on partial unofficial results, are reelectionist Senators Cynthia Villar, Koko Pimentel and Sonny Angara, former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Bong Go, former Senators Pia Cayetano and Bong Revilla, former Philippine National Police chief Bato dela Rosa and former Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos.

The other three candidates who are also part of the top 12 are: reelectionist Senators Grace Poe and Nancy Binay and former Senator Lito Lapid.

On Monday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) conducted the country’s fourth nationwide automated polls since 2010.