MANILA, Philippines - The Bangon Pilipinas party of Bro. Eddie Villanueva on Friday expressed doubts about the latest Pulse Asia survey which had the TV evangelist still lagging behind with only 2% support, the same as in the January survey.
 
"Bangon Pilipinas believes that the latest rating that pegged Bro. Eddie Villanueva at 2 percent is quite improbable," the party said in a statement.

It noted that prior to the start of the official campaign period in February 9, Villanueva was already at 2%.

"After visiting key cities and provinces, even Hong Kong where Bangon Pilipinas gathered the biggest crowd for a political rally at Chater Road in February, the Party just cannot simply believe that ratings would still remain at 2 percent," Bangon Pilipinas said.

Villanueva's party also said the survey results do not seem to reflect the support Villanueva is getting from people active on social networking sites.

"At least six social networking sites, including Facebook, points to Bro. Eddie Villanueva as the number 1 or number 2 contender in the May 10 presidential elections," it said.

Bangon Pilipinas reiterated its stand that "while surveys can be helpful references in determining the public pulse, surveys also can be internally influenced." 

"Hence, paid and commissioned surveys during the election season do not necessarily help in giving our public informed and wise decisions," it said.  [The latest Pulse Asia survey was not a commissioned survey. -- Eds.]

Bangon Pilipinas said the victories of former President Fidel Ramos in 1992, and military rebel Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, who won in 2007 despite being behind bars, show that surveys can be wrong.

"We recall that former President Fidel Ramos and Senator Sonny Trillanes were both lagging in surveys when the two ran for public office, but both captured the winning votes," Villanueva's party said. "The only way to really find out the people’s truthful pulse is by the result of a credible election, not by the results of commissioned surveys."

Villanueva also ran in the 2004 presidential election but came last with nearly 2 million votes or only 6% of those who voted, as predicted by the surveys. He was defeated by President Gloria Arroyo, the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., Sen. Panfilo Lacson, and the late Sen. Raul Roco.