Marcos questions latest survey: Bakit ako bumagsak?

Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News

Posted at 05 May 2016 07:45 PM | Updated as of 05 May 2016 09:37 PM

Leni Robredo/ Bongbong Marcos (composite)

'Bakit ngayong 'di na siya no. 1, hindi na siya naniniwala?' - Leni

MANILA (UPDATED) - Vice-presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Thursday raised concerns on the movements in survey rankings of candidates with just days before the May 9 elections.

Marcos put the blame on the administration, noting that Liberal Party (LP) candidates Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo are the ones who benefited from the changes.

"The administration is the only one who can do that, clearly the administration is the beneficiary," he said.

In the last ABS-CBN survey conducted by Pulse Asia from April 26 to 29, Robredo emerged as the top choice for vice president with 30% voter support, two percentage points higher than Marcos' 28%. Both were statistically tied considering the margin of error of plus/minus 1.5% margin of error.

Marcos' rating was three points down from his 31% voter support in the April 19 to 24 survey.

READ: Leni, Bongbong share lead in new ABS-CBN survey

According to Marcos, this could be the start of cheating in the elections.

"Let's say she (Robredo) did well, bakit ako babagsak? Ano ba nagawa ko na umalis sa akin ang milyon-milyong botante," the senator quipped.

He said he does not believe that anti-Marcos campaigns have contributed to the drop in his numbers, pointing out he has been receiving these criticisms even before.

Robredo, for her part, criticized Marcos for believing surveys only when he is ranked first.

"Alam mo, iyong number one siya, naniniwala siya. Ngayong hindi na siya number 1, hindi siya naniniwala," Robredo told reporters in Ligao, Albay.

"Hindi lang naman ito iyong survey na number 1 ako. Iyong dalawang magkasunod na SWS (Social Weather Stations), number 1 din ako.

"Ako naman, noong number 6 ako, number 4, naniniwala ako kasi ginagawa naming iyon na guide. Kaya ito, number 1 na ako, nakita ko na two points ang aking lamang, kailangan pang pag-ibayuhin," she added.

Marcos, meanwhile, raised the same questions regarding the presidential race.

Roxas was statistically tied in second place with Senator Grace Poe after receiving a 22% rating. Poe got 21%. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte remained the frontrunner with 33% voter support.

"I have not seen any other survey where Roxas is not third or fourth. Suddenly one week before the election, biglang umakyat?" said Marcos.

The LP standard-bearer denied that the administration is manipulating survey rankings of candidates.

"Nung sila ang namamayagpag sa surveys, aba, pinaka-the best, pinaka-credible, dapat paniwalaan ang survey. Ngayon na pababa sila sa survey, hindi dapat paniwalaan. Eh this is the same survey," Roxas said.

"Nung dati kami nahuhuli sa surveys, wala silang imik, walang masabi. Ngayon na kami'y nangunguna sa survey, ang dami nilang reklamo. So yan po ang katotohanan on the ground. Yan ang sentimyento ng ating kababayan. Merong mga organic, homegrown, kusang mga pagkikilos ng ating kababayan, ng the silent majority."

Marcos also complained of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) app which refers to his late father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, as an "ousted dictator."

"The Comelec itself has taken a position against me," he said.