By Gil C. Cabacungan Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:45:00 08/27/2008
MANILA, Philippines—A senator, who was left out in a recent survey on possible presidential candidates in 2010, said popularity polls were part of a ploy by politicians with deep pockets to convince big-time financiers that they were the front-runners.
Sen. Richard Gordon said he planned to file a resolution that would bar a prospective candidate, who commissions the surveys, from publishing the results to avoid undue influence on the voters and potential financiers.
“I am not sore (for being left out). I have always said long ago that these surveys, whenever they are being publicized, are used for mind management because if you are high in the survey, big businessmen tend to give you more,” Gordon said in a talk with reporters.
The private polling firm Social Weather Stations recently conducted a survey asking respondents their preference for the highest post in the land. SWS did not give the respondents any names.
The results showed Vice President Noli de Castro, Sen. Loren Legarda and Senate President Manuel Villar Jr. in a close fight as the top choice of the respondents.
Senators Panfilo Lacson, Francis Escudero, Manuel Roxas II and Francis Pangilinan and former President Joseph Estrada were among those cited by respondents.
Gordon said that prospective candidates with resources could easily commission a dozen surveys and pick the one in which they performed the best for publication to give the impression that they were prime candidates to win the elections.
He said the financiers would not only be lured into placing their bets on the leading presidential aspirants but also give the aspirants an excuse not to engage the others in a debate.
“My fear is that the voters would not know the candidates anymore because the perceived front-runners would be reluctant to join any debates,” Gordon said.
He cautioned the people against being fooled into making their choices based on the surveys that he said should be used as a personal guide by the prospective candidates to improve his or her weaknesses.
“We should not just believe these surveys. (Barack) Obama used to trail Hillary Clinton but he beat Hillary for the Democratic nomination. Obama used to lead (Republican candidate John) McCain, now they are just even,” he said.
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PAG IKAW NAG BAYAD SA SURVEY, SYEMPRE, MAS MATAAS ANG RATING MO. KUNG GUSTO MONG MAKUHA ANG NOMINATION NG LAKAS – CMD, BAYARAN MO ANG SWS O PULSE ASIA PARA TAASAN ANG RATING MO AT BABAAN NAMAN ANG MGA ASPIRANTS MULA SA LAKAS – NUCD, TAPOS, PUNTAHAN MO ANG LEADERS NG LAKAS AT SABIHIN “AKO NA LANG KUNIN NYONG PRESIDENTIAL OR VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE KASI YUNG MGA LEGITIMATE PARTY BETS NYO ANG BABABA SA SURVEY”.
ANG GALING NO?, PANLOLOKO SA BAYAN YANG GINAGAWA MO BATA…. DAPAT WAG KANG MANALO, KASI, MAS MALAKING PANLOLOKO ANG GAGAWIN MO KUNG MANANALO KA….
HULAAN NYO KUNG SINO ITONG NAGBAYAD NG SURVEY PARA MALOKO TAYONG MGA PILIPINO? SIGURO VICE PRESIDENT LANG AMBISYON NITO KASI DI NYA PINABABAAN SI NOLI DE CASTRO SA SURVEY EH….
CLUE? SINO BA ANG TUMAAS SA SURVEY? HALATA NAMAN EH.
SABI NG ISANG ALIPORES NYA..”INGGIT LANG KAYO..MAGBAYAD DIN KAYO NG SURVEY NYO…”
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