Aquino tops ‘confidential’ Cebu survey

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Former Cebu Gov. Emilio “Lito” Osmena has confirmed that Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III emerged as top contender in a survey on presidentiables he conducted recently in the province of Cebu.

“Even if you put together all the other presidentiables they could not match the rating of Noynoy Aquino,” Osmeña said in an interview on Tuesday evening.

However, Osmeña explained that he did not want to show the results of the survey since it was confidential.

In fact, he refused to give details as to the mechanics of the survey and the number of respondents.

Osmeña told the INQUIRER that he conducted the survey for the information of his group Probinsya Muna Development Initiatives (Promdi), which he has revived as a non-government organization. The former governor had first established Promdi as a political party.

“It’s actually running surveys, to include the local scene like mayor, congressman, governor and of course, presidentiables,” Osmeña said.

When informed that INQUIRER received the information on the survey from former Negros Occidental Gov. Daniel Lacson Jr., he reiterated that the results of the survey should remain confidential.

Lacson had earlier claimed that a survey conducted by Osmeña in Cebu province last Sept. 15 showed that Aquino was leading at 51 percent.

Senator Manuel Villar came in second with 22 percent, followed by Vice President Noli de Castro at 14 percent, Senator Chiz Escudero at 7 percent and former president Joseph Estrada at 6 percent. Both Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Senator Jamby Madrigal were at zero percent, Lacson further revealed.

Osmeña did not confirm the figures given by Lacson but he said that these were similar to the results of the survey.

While he admitted that he was an ally of the late President Corazon Aquino, Osmeña said it did not mean that he would support Senator Aquino. “I don’t know Noynoy,” he disclosed. –Jhunnex Napallacan, Philippine Daily Inquirer