SWS: 9 Senate seats likely to be won by ‘Alyansa’ bets

Despite the recent boost in popularity of Duterte-allied candidates following the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and the exit of Senator Imee Marcos from the Alyansa slate, administration bets continue to dominate the Senate race.

This is mainly attributed to “increased visibility and popularity,” according to Stratbase President Dindo Manhit.

Duterte-backed candidate Christopher Go, who is running under Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP-Laban), is the top forerunner with 45% of respondents expressing support. ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo followed closely in second place with 43% voter preference.

Senator Lito Lapid secured third place with 34%, followed by former Senate President Tito Sotto and Senator Pia Cayetano, who are tied in the 4th and 5th spots, both with 33%.

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa ranked 6th with 32%, while Senator Bong Revilla and broadcaster Ben Tulfo shared the 7th and 8th spots with 31% each.

Abby Binay climbed to 9th place with 29%, while Camille Villar landed in 10th with 28%.

Former Senator Ping Lacson dropped to 11th place from last month’s 7th-8th spot, as his support base slid from 31% to 26%.

Completing the top 12 is former Senator Manny Pacquiao, who garnered 25% voter preference.

“Access to government machinery and well-organized local networks amplifies their visibility and reach, especially in the provinces, while media leverage, particularly among candidates with broadcasting backgrounds, ensures sustained exposure across platforms,” Manhit said.

The survey was conducted from April 11 to 15, with 1,800 registered voters participating and a margin of error of ±2.31%. — Rachelle Tonelada