MANILA — Two days after the release of the latest Social Weather Stations
survey showing support for Bayan Muna dropping by about seventeen
points even as it kept the lead among 91 partylist aspirants, House
Deputy Minority Leader Satur C. Ocampo today questioned the poll
results which he described as “mismatched with political realities”.
“After further study and consultations, we found that the latest SWS
survey does not match political realities in the period April 14-17
and generates serious questions that need to be satisfactorily
answered. Said Ocampo”
“Our initial view that the Bayan Muna’s sharp fall in SWS survey was
partly due to mass media’s disinterest in Bayan Muna soon after my
release is wrong,” said Ocampo.
According to Ocampo, “that fact is that Bayan Muna was consistently in
the news in the period April 14-17 with the
endorsements we received
from Batangas gubernatorial candidate Vilma Santos and reelectionist
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the release of the last Pulse Asia
survey on partylist groups which Bayan Muna led, the abduction of two
Iloilo activists, and the preparations for the Inter-Parliamentary
Union fact-finding mission on the Batasan 6 all keeping us in the
public eye and mind.”
Said Ocampo: “Bayan Muna’s consistent high-profile media status should
actually be a factor for us to maintain of our ratings”
“The military intrigue that this is an effect of its fabricated
multiple murder charge is ridiculous incredible. That yarn has been
wornout. The military’s fabricated issues and charges against us
have in fact backfired.” said Ocampo.
“Secondly, we observed the big discrepancies between Pulse Asia and
SWS surveys since the start of campaign in February to the present.
The Pulse Asia Survey shows a significantly lower but steady ratings
for Bayan Muna (11.9% in February-March 9 and 13.7% in April 3-5).
This is in comparison to the higher but drastically fluctuating rating
of SWS (18.7% in February 24-27, shooting to 27.6% in March 15-18 and
plunging to 10.4% in April 14-17, 2007).”
Ocampo said that “these big discrepancies between Pulse Asia and SWS
surveys have to be satisfactorily
explained. Otherwise, we can’t help
but question which is more accurate and truthful Pulse Asia or
SWS?”
“Thirdly, it is very suprising if not unbelievable that unknown
pro-administration partylists improved their ratings in the SWS
survey. These Malacaang-organized groups recorded sharp rating
increases despite the fact that they are relatively new and unknown to
the people.
Ocampo averred that sans satisfactory answers to the said questions,
the accuracy of SWS survey showing sharp fall on ratings of Bayan Muna
together with militant party list groups is rendered questionable and
doubtful.
“We are receiving information from various sources that Malacanang
operators are working to manipulate the work of ground-level pollsters
and thereafter skew survey results in favor of administration
partylists
at the expense of Bayan Muna. Such surveys might be
preparing the ground for adminsitration’s election cheating against
the Bayan Muna and other partylist groups like Anakpawis, Gabriela,
Kabataan and Suara Bangsamoro,” said Ocampo.
Yesterday, Ocampo spoke before thousands in Iloilo City, endorsing
local bets and campaigning for Bayan Muna.
On Tuesday, Ocampo addressed more than 5,000 participants to the 23rd
Cordillera Day at Baguio City’s Burnham Park. ###
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2007 Elections
