MANILA – Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte emerged as the most preferred presidential candidate in the coming national elections, according to a privately commissioned pre-election survey conducted two weeks ago but released only recently.
Among five presidential aspirants included in the poll, Duterte received 34 percent or the highest score overall as well as in each economic class: upper class, middle class and the poor.
Trailing behind the tough-talking mayor were Senator Grace Poe with 26 percent, Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay with 22 percent, former interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II with 11 percent and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago with 7 percent.
Duterte, noting that he was a ‘probinsyano,’ welcomed the results of the survey which was conducted by Pulse Asia Research Inc. with 300 respondents from Metro Manila.
“I am happy if I am leading or just equal to Poe. I am running on a matter of principle because I don’t want anyone messing up the Constitution,” he said in an interview with the Inquirer.net.
“It’s a matter of principle and there are times and events in your life that you just do what you have to do,” he further said.
It can be noted that the presidential preferences poll was conducted ahead of Duterte’s declaration that he would seek the country’s highest post in the 2016 general elections – a complete turnaround from his previous pronouncements of disinterest on the post.