Survey boost for Aquino: Pinoys want him to stay

Despite relentless criticism against President Aquino in the wake of the Mamasapano massacre where 44 elite members of the Special Action Force (SAF) were killed, more Filipinos want him to stay rather than resign his office, a recent poll showed.

But the poll also showed the respondents’ displeasure at the way Aquino tried to explain his role in the incident with 8 of 10 of those surveyed saying the government failed to satisfactorily explain its role in the incident.

The survey, conducted by Pulse Asia from March 1-7, also indicated a large percentage – 44 percent against 21 percent – were against the approval of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

The survey revealed that 42 percent of the respondents want the

President to stay as against 29 percent who want him to step down. The same survey also showed that 28 percent were undecided on the matter.

The survey showed 45 percent of Metro Manila respondents favored his continued stay as well as those from Luzon (47 percent) and Class D respondents (43 percent).

In the Visayas, however, Aquino had less favorable support with only 34 percent wanting him to stay and 29 percent seeking his resignation. But a huge 36 percent were undecided which means the bigger percentage was unsure of what to make of Aquino’s leadership.

In terms of socio-economic class, 43 percent among class D and 42 percent among classes A,B,C and E want Aquino to remain in power.

The survey was made two weeks ago and was conducted before the Senate submitted its report on the massacre which blamed Aquino as partly responsible for the massacre. In recent days, there were also calls for him to apologize.

The survey also showed that 10 percent of the respondents believe the government’s explanation on the Mamasapano clash was enough, while 11 percent expressed indecision on the matter.

Aquino was heavily criticized for his failure to apologize over the Mamasapano clash and his alleged inconsistent statements regarding the bloodbath.

Criticisms of Aquino were focused on his decision to consult his close friend suspended Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima, regarding the January 25 mission.

The survey also asked the respondents what they thought of Aquino’s failure to be at the airport when the bodies of the SAF troopers arrived.

The survey said most Filipinos or 91 percent were aware of the president’s non-appearance during the January 29 arrival honors, and nearly eight of 10 or 79 percent disagreed with his decision to forego the event.

Eighty- three percent of the re- spondents in Luzon disagreed with the president’s skipping of the event, followed by 80 percent in Mindanao, 75 percent in Metro Manila and 74 percent in the Visayas.

The Mamasapano bloody incident dominated headlines for days garnering 99 percent awareness among the respondents.

As a result of the massacre, the Mindanao peace process took a substantial hit with survey results showing 44 percent opposed to the passage of the BBL – a sentiment shared by big pluralities to sizeable majorities in Metro Manila (52 percent), Mindanao (62 percent) and Classes D and E (45 percent and 43 percent respectively).

Only 21 percent said the BBL should be passed.

The BBL is meant to create a new autonomous region for the Bangsamoros that will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Mindanao respondents accounted for the strongest opposition to the BBL’s passage, with 62 percent. In the National Capital Region, 52 percent were against its passage while in the Visayas 43 percent opposed it and the rest of Luzon, 32 percent.

It also revealed that Mamasapano incident also appeared to have aroused public interest in the BBL, with the survey results showing 88 percent awareness in the measure that would create a new autonomous homeland in Mindanao as part of the peace agreement between the government and the MILF.

The Pulse Asia nationwide survey is based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above.

It has a± 3% error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.

Bishop hits Aquino

President Aquino is losing his grip at governance as his administration continued to play a defensive role amid the relentless criticism of its handling of the Mamasapano massacre.

This was the opinion of Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo who spoke on Radyo Veritas and said that “Filipinos no longer believe him.”

He described Aquino’s leadership as “lame duck” and concluded “he iis losing influence … Filipinos no longer believe him.”

Because the President and his allies had been put in a position where they had to defend his action on the Mamasapano incident thatvleft 44 Special Action Forces commandos dead, the prelate said his other duties as President have been affected.

The public appeared to also question the credibility of the President as recent polls showed his trust and approval ratings at their lowest.

A recent Pulse Asia poll revealed the President’s approval rating at 38 percent this March while his trust rating is 36 percent during the same period.

The Catholic prelate said President Aquino is “acting like less and less the nation’s chief executive as the end of his term in office nears.” (With a report from Raymund F. Antonio)