9 out of 12 from opposition
 
MANILA, Philippines - Only one candidate from the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD party would have won a seat in the Senate if elections were held last January 21-24, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey disclosed on Tuesday.
 
Actor-Senator Ramon 'Bong' Revilla, a member of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD, topped the SWS survey with 58% of respondents supporting his re-election.
 
Nine senators in the top 12 in the latest survey are from opposition parties. This list includes an independent senator--Sen. Sergio Osmeña--who has been adopted by the opposition Liberal Party.
 
Former Senator Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III, an ally of President Arroyo running under the Nationalist People's Coalition, also made it to the top 12.
 
There are 12 seats in the Senate up for grabs in the May 10 elections.
 
Senators Pia Cayetano of the Nacionalista Party (NP) and Jinggoy Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) were tied at 2nd/3rd place in the latest survey with 57% of respondents wanting them back in the Senate.
 
Another re-electionist Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago of the People's Reform Party was 4th with 50% support.
 
Former Senator Franklin Drilon of the Liberal Party (LP) was 5th with 47% of respondents having him on their list.
 
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile was 6th with 42%, statistically tied with Sotto (7th) who had 41%.
 
Former Senator Ralph Recto of the LP was 8th with 40%, although support for his return to the Senate dropped by 4 percentage points from the December 5-10 survey.
 
Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. was 9th with 39%, a big jump of 7 percentage points from his 32% in the December 5-10 survey.
 
Former Senator Sergio Osmeña III was 10th with 38%.
 
Another LP bet, Teofisto Guingona III, was 11th with 31% of respondents having him on their list.
 
NBN-ZTE witness Jose de Venecia III, son of former House Speaker Jose de Venecia, was 12th in the survey with 30%, an increase of 9 percentage points from the early December survey. He is running under Estrada's Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.
 
The SWS said that "Within the bounds of statistical error is Manuel Lapid (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) 28%, with Gwendolyn Pimentel (PDP-Laban) 23% and Rozzano Rufino Biazon (Liberal Party) 21% just outside it."
 
"A significant distance away are: Sonia Roco (Liberal Party) 19%, Francisco Tatad (Grand Alliance for Democracy) 16%, Gilbert Cesar Remulla (Nacionalista Party) 16%, Alexander Lacson (Liberal Party) 15%, Ramon Mitra (Nacionalista Party) 14%, Jose Apolinario Lozada, Jr. (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino) 13%, Ana Theresia Baraquel (Liberal Party) 12%, Rey Langit (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) 12%, Danilo Lim (Independent) 10%, and Emilio Mario Osmeña (No CONA attached) 10%," SWS said.
 
Biggest gainers
 
The biggest gainers in the senatorial race in the latest survey from the December 5-10 survey or right after candidates filed their candidacy papers were:
 
Cayetano +9 points
de Venecia +9 points
Marcos +7 points
Serge Osmeña +7 points
Guingona +7 points
G. Remulla +6 points
G. Pimentel +6 points
 
In the latest survey, 2,100 respondents were asked: “Kung ang eleksyon ay gaganapin ngayon, sino ang pinakamalamang ninyong iboboto bilang mga Senador ng Pilipinas? Narito po ang listahan ng mga pangalan ng mga kandidato. Maaari po kayong pumili ng hanggang 12 pangalan. [If elections were to take place today, who will you most probably vote for as SENATORS
of the Philippines? Here is a list of names of the candidates. You can mention up to 12 names.]
 
The respondents were asked to choose from 62 names. The survey used face-to-face interviews of 2,100 adults with a margin of error of plus/minus 2.2%.