Tulfo top opposition pick for ’28 presidency

SENATOR Rafael T. Tulfo has emerged as the most preferred presidential candidate of opposition supporters for the 2028 elections, according to the latest WR Numero poll.

In the December poll of 1,457 adults, 35% of respondents who identified as opposition supporters chose Mr. Tulfo. He was followed by former vice president Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo with 23.5%, and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio with 17.5%.

Ms. Duterte-Carpio was the top pick of administration supporters (44.2%) as well as independent (30.7%), and unsure (30.9%) voters.

Mr. Tulfo was the top candidate of voters in the Luzon areas outside Metro Manila (26.2%), followed by Ms. Duterte-Carpio (23.4%).

Ms. Duterte-Carpio led in Metro Manila (38.9%), Visayas (34.5%), and Mindanao (57.4%), where Mr. Tulfo got an 11.9% rating. The broadcasterturned-senator got a rating of 32.8% and 20.5%, respectively, in Metro Manila and Visayas.

The survey was conducted face-to-face throughout the country between Nov. 24 and Dec. 24 last year. It had a ± 3% error margin at the 99% confidence level.

Mr. Tulfo landed in the third spot in the list of 12 senators who won in the 2022 polls, with over 23 million votes.

Ms. Duterte-Carpio and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. ran in tandem in 2022 but their alliance is now hounded by division issues, which became apparent after lawmakers removed the vice president’s proposed confidential funds from the 2024 national budget.

The vice president is a daughter of Mr. Marcos’ predecessor, Rodrigo R. Duterte, whose deadly war on drugs is being investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

A Social Weather Stations survey conducted on Dec. 8 to 11 last year showed that 53% of Filipinos agreed with the ICC probe of the drug war, up from 45% in March. The pollster, in a Feb. 20 report, said 26% were undecided and 20% disagreed.

The net trust that the ICC would be impartial in its investigation rose to +12 from +1 “but uncertainty continues to dominate,” according to the poll.