PRESIDENTIAL candidate Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson yesterday called on his “active and silent supporters” to cast their votes for the best leaders on May 9 as a show of support to the country.
Lacson made the call after he expressed doubts on results of the latest Pulse Asia survey which showed that the tandem of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is still leading voter preference while he still got 2 percent in voter preference.
“Aside from the constant 2 percent survey results that they’ve been giving me for the past months, now it is zero scores in both Visayas and Mindanao. Instead of speculating, it is best for me to just wait for the May 9 election results which is not too long a wait after all,” Lacson said in a statement.
The Pulse Asia survey conducted April 16 to 21 showed 56 percent of Filipinos will vote for Marcos for president if the elections were held during that survey period while 55 percent choose Duterte-Carpio for vice president.
Marcos was followed by Vice President Leni Robredo with 23 percent, Sen. Emmanuel Pacquiao 7 percent, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso 4 percent, and Lacson 2 percent.
Lacson said he still could not believe survey results which he said are entirely different from what they see on the ground during campaign rallies.
“That being said, I call on all my active and silent supporters and those who truly believe in good, honest governance to go out on May 9 and cast their votes as it is the ultimate show of support that matters to Filipinos of the present and future generations,” he added.
In a press conference in Tagaytay, Lacson said the real survey will be on May 9.
“Tignan natin kung zero ako sa Visayas at zero sa Mindanao (Let’s see if I get zero in the Visayas [region] and zero in the Mindanao [region]),” Lacson said.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Lacson’s running mate, said survey companies should disclose how their surveys are conducted and where respondents come from. He asked the public not to believe everything they read or hear about surveys.
Lacson said there will still be no change in their campaign strategy and will stick to the town hall meetings even if there are only three days left to campaign.
“So far (the town hall meetings are) effective. (But) we can’t measure that until May 9,” he said.
Sotto reminded the people to thoroughly study the character of each candidate so the right and competent leaders will lead the country.
“Kapag boboto tayo ng kandidato ay binoboto rin natin ang mga nakapaligid sa kanya.
Kung masama ang impluwensiya, ano mangyayari? … Tignan niyo ang nakapaligid, kung masama ang nakapaligid, huwag niyong iboto (If we vote for a candidate, we also vote those who are surrounding him or her. If the people surrounding him/her are a bad influence, what will happen ?… Look at those surrounding a candidate, if they are bad, then don’t vote for him/her),” Sotto said.
Meanwhile, the Christian Coalition Movement, an alliance some 1,700 evangelical churches in the Philippines, endorsed Sotto’s vice presidential bid, saying he possesses the qualities the group is looking for in the next leaders of the country.
Bishop Vicente Vicencio said Sotto has the traits his group is looking for — a person who believes in the sanctity of life, marriage, and gender, and one who has moral conviction and ethical standards.
“He is a man of strong stance, God-fearing, and who believes in the word of God. He is no other than our Senate president, soon to be vice president, Tito Sotto,” Vicencio said in Filipino.