Gibo tops online survey; Erap second, Noynoy fourth

Debunking results from long suspected-tainted opinion polling firms, voters in an on-line survey picked administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard-bearer Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro as top bet, deposed President Joseph Estrada a close second, while perennial survey frontrunner Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III landed a mere fourth place behind fierce rival, Sen. Manuel “Manny Villar Jr.

It was Teodoro’s third time in a week’s time to either come out No. 1 or No.2, having topped the online polls conducted by the Manila Bulletin newspaper. He also came in second in a separate survey done by Dutch finance giant ING.

This time in the BusinessWorld survey, Gibo picked up 26.50 percent of the 102,057 voters polled to top the poll; followed by Pwersa ng Masa’s Estrada with 25.77 percent.

Villar, of the Nacionalista Party, came in third place with 19.07 percent; while Aquino of the Liberal Party came in fourth place with 18.62 percent.

Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Bangon Pilipinas party was fifth with 2.52 percent, followed by Nicanor Perlas III (2.53 percent); John Carlos “JC” de los Reyes (1.90 percent); Jamby Madrigal (1.71 percent); and Richard Gordon (1.56 percent).

The BusinessWorld online survey is the latest in a series of independent, “non-mainstream” tracking polls that have consistently departed from the findings of privately commissioned surveys. Its results have pointed to a potential three-cornered fight for the presidency among Teodoro, Villar and Aquino.

Last week, Teodoro came out No. 1 by grabbing a commanding lead in the online mock elections for presidential candidates conducted by the Manila Bulletin, garnering a hefty 47 percent share of the total votes cast.

In response to the question of “Who will you vote as the next Philippine President in the May 10 elections next month?” which was posted on Bulletin’s Web site (mb.com.ph), 27,521 or 47 percent chose Teodoro. Aquino settled for a far second, with 15,499 or 27 percent of the votes cast, followed in third place by Estrada with 5,543 or 10 percent of the votes.

Gordon landed in fourth place with 4,665 or 8 percent of the votes, while Villar was fifth with 2,452 or 4 percent. Villanueva garnered 3 percent or 1,918 of the total votes cast.

In the 1st Quarter 2010 ING Investor Dashboard Survey, Teodoro came in No. 2 with 28 percent, next to Aquino, who got 37 percent.

Teodoro’s 28 percent rating was up by 11 percentage points from his 17 percent in the 4th quarter polling done by the same firm.

Villar settled for third place with 23 percent after dropping 7 percentage points from the 30 percent he got in the 4th quarter 2009 ING survey. Aquino’s rating was also 37 percent in the previous survey.

In a separate nationwide poll reportedly done with the assistance of the European Union and the US Federation of International Entrepreneurs between March 1 and 30, Teodoro was also at No. 2 with 22.87 percent, next to Villar with 24.7 percent. Aquino was third with 19 percent and Estrada was fourth, with 9 percent. Charlie V. Manalo,Daily Tribune