Mindanaotoday.com | ‘Zero vote’ survey result in VisMin challenges Lacson
By Franck Dick Rosete
Correspondent
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has considered the survey result, which gave him zero voter preference, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao, as “blessing in disguise.”
Lacson, in a press conference here Thursday, May 5, said the zero voter preference would give a challenge and it would prompt the team’s support groups to work hard in the campaign.
“Giving me zero voters’ preference na score sa Visayas and Mindanao could be a blessing in disguise kasi nacha-challenge yung aming mga Lacson-Sotto support group,” he said.
“Here in Cagayan de Oro nandito ang aming support group and elsewhere, Visayas and Mindanao, medyo nagagalit at nacha-challenge so they are prompted to do more and to work harder,” he added.
According to the latest survey by Pulse Asia Research, Lacson garnered a 2% overall voter preference.
The presidential aspirant, however, scored 0% in the Visayas and Mindanao. The survey was conducted on April 16-21.
Lacson ranks fifth in the Pulse Asia survey behind mayor Isko Moreno (fourth) with 4%; Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao (third) with 7%; vice president Leni Robredo (second) with 23%; and, former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. who remains in the top spot with 56%.
The presidential candidate, meanwhile, stressed that he did not feel the zero voter preference based on the support provided by the supporters when they visited the different parts of Mindanao.
“We were in Ampatuan town sa Maguindanao kanina and we were around the Mindanao sometime in the past sa Cotabato, Davao marami rin kaming napuntahan. Hindi ko talaga feel yung zero voter preference na binibigay ng survey firm,” Lacson said.
Vice presidential aspirant Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto, on the other hand, urged the public to vote for the candidates who would help the people in times of the disaster and not only depend on the survey.
“Instead of believing the surveys, think of those candidates yung may nagawa para sa inyo at may ginagawa para sa inyo at pag ka may panganib, may danger, katulad ng Covid-19 at kung ano man, ay hindi nagtatago,” Sotto said.
“Yung nagsimula yung campaign period, hindi pa naman alert level 1. Kami pa yung maingat, sila yung walang ingat. Baliktad. Pero noong na lockdown, kami naman yung sugod ng sugod kasi kailangan ipasa ang Bayanihan 1 at Bayanihan 2, sila naman yung nasa harap ng computer ayaw pumasok,” Lacson added.
In the same Pulse Asia survey, Sotto ranks second in the vice presidential race with 18% behind Davao city mayor Sara Duterte, the running mate of Marcos Jr., who remains at the top spot with 55% survey score.
Within the top 5, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan ranks third with 16%; followed by Dr. Willie Ong with 3% and Manny Lopez with 1%.