Four out of five Filipinos said they would not support a presidential candidate endorsed by Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, according to results of a Pulse Asia nationwide survey released Thursday (December 3).

A combined 79 per cent of the respondents said they would “surely not vote for” (43 per cent) and “probably not vote for” (36 per cent) a presidential candidate endorsed by Arroyo.

The outgoing President has endorsed her party mate, Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats standard-bearer Gilbert Teodoro.

Only a combined 15 per cent of the respondents said they would “surely vote for” (1 per cent) and “probably vote for” (14 per cent) the candidate Arroyo endorsed.

Three per cent said Arroyo’s endorsement would have “no effect” on their choice. The same percentage of respondents was unable to say what impact such an endorsement would have on their choice.

Conducted by Pulse Asia from October 22 to 30 using face-to-face interviews, the survey covered 1,800 adults in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The opinion poll has a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points.

Unfazed by public dissatisfaction with Arroyo, Teodoro has scoffed at opposition leaders who claim that the President’s endorsement will doom his chances.

“There will come a point when the public will already get to brush off this ‘kiss of death’ thing. It’s a politically expedient tactic right now. The more important thing is what you want to do for the country in the future,” Teodoro said in September.

Staying away from Gibo sorties

On the day the survey results were released, executive secretary Eduardo Ermita said Arroyo would not only stay away from Teodoro’s sorties but would also give the administration’s candidate free rein to mount his own campaign.

“I don’t think she will do that (join Teodoro’s sorties),” Ermita said. “As she said, she wants to concentrate on governance.”

In what was seen as a break with tradition, Arroyo did not raise the hands of Teodoro and his running mate, actor-TV host Edu Manzano, during their Nov. 19 proclamation rally at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Since then, some observers have noted an apparent attempt by the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD coalition not to make Teodoro and Arroyo share a stage.

After Arroyo filed her certificate of candidacy for Pampanga’s second congressional district on Tuesday, Teodoro, a former defence secretary, said he should be judged based on his qualifications, and not on his ties with the President.

But senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, vice presidential candidate of the Liberal Party, said Arroyo’s unprecedented move to run for a seat in the House of Representatives showed that she had given up on Teodoro.

“They all know that this (Ms Arroyo’s candidacy) has a negative effect on Gibo’s (Teodoro’s) candidacy, but they pursued this. So the question is who is GMA’s (Arroyo’s) real candidate?” Roxas said in a text message.

Pacquiao, Kris Aquino

In the survey, “big pluralities” to “sizeable majorities” said they would surely/probably not vote for candidates endorsed by boxing champion Manny Pacquiao (71 per cent), former president Joseph Estrada (59 per cent) and TV personalities Willie Revillame (58 per cent) and Kris Aquino (49 percent).

A combined 45 per cent said they would surely/probably vote for the candidate endorsed by Aquino, while 36 per cent said they would surely/probably vote for someone endorsed by Estrada.

Thirty-seven per cent said they would surely/probably vote for a candidate endorsed by Revillame, and 21 per cent would surely/probably vote for Pacquiao’s presidential candidate.

Kris Aquino is backing her brother, senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, presidential candidate of the Liberal Party. Revillame is supporting senator Manny Villar, standard-bearer of the Nacionalista Party. Estrada himself is running for president.

Pacquiao, who is running for congressman in Sarangani, has not formally endorsed a presidential candidate.

As for the candidates endorsed by the respondents’ Church, 52 per cent said they would surely/probably vote for them. In contrast, 43 per cent said they would surely/probably not vote for a presidential candidate endorsed by their Church.

Independent-minded

Ermita, chair of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD advisory council, doused speculations that Teodoro was consciously trying to distance himself from Arroyo.

“Gilbert Teodoro is a very intelligent person. He’s very capable, as shown by all the mock polls after every debate among presidentiables. He can stand and think on his own,” he said.

Ermita said the best instance that Teodoro showed his being independent-minded was when he recommended the expulsion of members of the Ampatuan clan from the administration party in the aftermath of the Maguindanao massacre.

“Did Gibo have to ask Malacañang when he said ‘we’re expelling the Ampatuans from the party?’ No, we did it on our own as a party. That’s how independent-minded Gibo is. He’s his own man,” he said.

Reports from Eliza Victoria, Inquirer Research; TJ Burgonio and Michael Lim Ubac