Lito Lapid in ‘Magic 12’ of senatoriables

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Lapid garnered 36.2 percent in Pulse Asia's June 15 to 21 survey for the “magic 12” senatoriables.

Senator Grace Poe remained the top choice among possible senatorial candidates in the 2019 mid-term elections, receiving a rating of 67.4 percent in the survey.

Taguig City Representative Pia Cayetano came in second, posting a voter preference of 55.7 percent.

Following Cayetano were Senator Cynthia Villar (50.1 percent) and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio (46.2 percent).

Other top choices were Senator Juan Edgardo Angara Jr. and former senator Jinggoy Estrada, with 41.9 percent and 37.9 percent, respectively.

Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald dela Rosa (37.7 percent), Senator Aquilino Pimentel III (37.7 percent), Senator Nancy Binay (37.1 percent), former senator Sergio Osmeña III (36.6 percent), and Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito (36.6 percent) completed the "Magic 12."

Lagging behind were Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV (32.1 percent), Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos (29.9 percent), Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista (28.5 percent), actor Robin Padilla (28.2 percent), broadcaster Mon Tulfo (27.1 percent), and former Local Government secretary Manuel Roxas II (27.1 percent).

Included in the top 20 were former senator Ramon Revilla Jr. (26.7 percent) and broadcast journalist Ted Failon (25.8 percent).

President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman and special aide, Harry Roque Jr. and Christopher Lawrence Go, placed 26th and 30th, respectively, despite the Chief Executive's subtle endorsement of their potential senatorial bids.

In a press conference, Roque, who remained coy about his reported plan to run for a Senate seat in 2019, shrugged off the survey results.

"Wala pa pong kahit anong posisyon ang Palasyo diyan dahil mapakatagal pa po ng eleksyon," the Palace official told reporters on Monday, July 9.

(The Palace has no position with regard to that [Pulse Asia's survey] because it's not yet election period.)

"Wala naman pong eleksyon. Lahat po kami nakatutok lang sa trabaho ngayon. So wala naman pong ibig sabihin iyan sa amin," Roque added.

(There is no election yet. We are all focused on our work now. So that has no meaning with us.)

Pulse Asia interviewed 1,800 registered voters, using ±2 percentage points error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.

Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey were ±6 percentage points for Metro Manila, ±3 percentage points for the rest of Luzon, and ±5 percentage points for each of Visayas and Mindanao. (Ruth Abbey Gita/SunStar Philippines) PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde said on Monday, July 9, that he has ordered all units to intensify operations against guns-for-hire and private armed groups following the series of killings of local government officials.

Albayalde said there are at least 78 private armed groups in the country, most of which are in Mindanao.

He said the crackdown aims to disarm and arrest hired killers and members of private armed groups.

Albayalde issued the order following the killing of Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili, General Tinio Mayor Ferdinand Bote and Trece Martires Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan.

Halili was killed by a single gunshot to the heart while singing the national anthem at the city hall on July 2.

The following day, on July 3, Bote was gunned down by at least three unidentified men in front of the National Irrigation Administration office in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

On Saturday, July 7, Lubigan and his driver were killed in an ambush in Cavite.

Since when President Rodrigo Duterte took office in July 2016, 11 mayors and five vice mayors have been killed including those involved in the government’s narco-list. Albayalde described the killings as “concerning.” “We are just concerned, probably ‘yung disturbed hindi naman ‘yung parang nababahala na kami. We are concerned. Ibig sabihin hindi naman namin pwede ipagpasawalang bahala ito. Even sabihin na mangilanngilan lang ito, sabihin na naman na the word isolated. Even if they are isolated, hindi naman nangyayari ito ng pang araw-araw,” he said.

“But then again these have caught our attention. We have to be concerned of these killings already na hindi natin pwede pabayaan na ganito lang na nangyayari ito sa ating mga elected officials and that's why hindi naman natin pinapabayaan,” he added.

Albayalde said based on investigation, the killings of Halili, Bote and Lubigan were not in any way connected to each other.

He said it was just “coincidental” that it all happened in a span of one week but investigation showed that there were different motives.

“Wala tayong nakitang pattern dito. These incidents may be coincidental. Iba iba ang nakita nating motive dito,” said Albayalde.

He assured that the police are on their toes in trying to solve these cases.

In Bote’s case, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is pursuing a “good lead” which may result in the filing of charges against those allegedly involved.