AT least 10 of the 12 senatorial candidates of the administration’s Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas would have won the midterm senatorial elections if the polls were held today, the September 14 to 23 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The polls, commissioned by Stratbase Media, showed House Deputy Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Rep. Erwin Tulfo still leading the senatorial race, with 54 percent of voters saying they would vote for him, up from 51 percent in March.

Former Senate President Tito Sotto remained in second place with 34 percent (up from 31 percent), followed by re-electionist Sen. Pia Cayetano with 31 percent (up from 26 percent).

Former President Duterte was tied with Sen. Imee Marcos in fourth to fifth places with 25 percent each. Duterte’s voter preference went down from 36 percent in March while Marcos’ went up from 22 percent.

Former Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and re-electionist Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla were tied in sixth to seventh places with 24 percent each (both up from 20 percent each), followed by House Deputy Speaker and Las Pinas Rep. Camille Villar with 21 percent (up from 10 percent).

Re-electionist Sen. Lito Lapid and Makati Mayor Abigail Binay were tied at ninth to 10th places with 20 percent each (up from 19 percent and 14 [percent, respectively), followed by former Sen. Manny Pacquiao who was 11th to 13th with 18 percent (down from 22 percent).

All 10, except for Duterte, are from the administration’s Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas.

Pacquiao was tied with Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) senatorial candidates and re-electionist Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go, who both received an 18 percent voter preference rating, down from 23 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

The administration’s other senatorial candidates – re-electionist Sen. Francis Tolentino and Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. – were in 14th and 16th to 17th places.

Tolentino got a 17 percent voting preference while Abalos received a 14 percent voting preference.

Abalos was tied with former Sen. Aquino, who also got a 14 percent voter preference rating (down from seventh percent).

Former Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan was in 15th place with a voter preference of 15 percent (up from 11 percent).

The survey involved 1,500 adult respondents nationwide with a margin of error of ± 3 percent.

The filing of certificates of candidacies started yesterday.