MANILA: Ferdinand Marcos, Jr has maintained his wide lead in the Philippines presidential election race in a new survey released on Monday, but some political observers say the game may not be over for closest rival Leni Robredo.
Support for Marcos, the son and namesake of the ousted leader who ruled the Philippines for two decades, remained at 56 percent ahead of next week’s ballot, while Robredo, the incumbent vice president, slipped to 23 percent from 24 percent a month ago in the Pulse Asia surveys.
Multi world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and Manila mayor Francisco Domagoso had 7 percent and 4 percent support respectively. The election takes place on May 9.
The Pulse Asia survey of 2,400 people was conducted between April 16 to 21, which political analyst Temario Rivera said may not have registered the late flurry of support for Robredo, who has drawn crowds of tens of thousands of people in rallies in recent days.
“We might be looking at a situation when surveys cannot fully capture what is actually happening on the ground,” Rivera said.
That includes a series of endorsements or late switches of allegiance in favor of Robredo, 57, from mayors, candidates, governors and politicians in the past few weeks, he said.
Marcos, 64, has said he would not let his strong showing in polls distract him from work needed to be done to ensure victory.
The poll released on Monday showed his running mate, Sara Duterte-Carpio, daughter of incumbent leader Rodrigo Duterte, still the favorite to become vice president, a post elected separately to the president.
Duterte, whose six-year term ends late next month, has not endorsed a presidential candidate, but his political party is backing Marcos.
More than 67 million Filipinos have registered to vote in the elections, which historically have a high turnout.
Philippines: Marcos Jr keeps big lead in poll on presidential race
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Philippines: Marcos Jr keeps big lead in poll on presidential race
- Support for Marcos remained at 56 percent ahead of next week’s ballot
- Leni Robredo, the incumbent vice president, slipped to 23 percent from 24 percent a month
Russia says Ukraine attacked Putin’s home, Kyiv calls this ‘lie’
- Zelensky called Russia’s claim “complete fabrication” designed to derail peace process, suggested Moscow was preparing to intensify bombardment of Ukraine
KYIV: Russia accused Ukraine on Monday of having fired dozens of drones at one of President Vladimir Putin’s homes, an accusation that Ukraine called a “lie” aimed at undermining US-led efforts to end the war.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who does not typically announce drone strikes, said Ukraine had fired “91 long-range unmanned aerial vehicles” at Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region between late Sunday and early Monday, all of which were shot down.
“Given the complete degeneration of the criminal Kyiv regime, which has shifted to a policy of state terrorism, Russia’s negotiating position will be reconsidered,” Lavrov said, without elaborating.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who met with US President Donald Trump on Sunday for talks on ending the war, called Russia’s claim “a complete fabrication” designed to derail the peace process and suggested Moscow was preparing to intensify its bombardment of Ukraine.
“Russia is at it again, using dangerous statements to undermine all achievements of our shared diplomatic efforts with President Trump’s team,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on X.
Russia’s accusation comes at a pivotal moment in the peace process.
Ukraine says it has agreed to 90 percent of a US-drafted peace plan — including the issue of post-war security guarantees — though the issue of territory in a post-war settlement remains unresolved.
Russia, which has stayed silent about what parts of the US plan it has agreed to, said Monday it was still committed to the peace process but would “revise” its position in light of the alleged drone attack.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, describing it as a “special military operation” to demilitarise the country and prevent the expansion of NATO.
Kyiv and its European allies say the war, the largest and deadliest on European soil since World War II, is an unprovoked and illegal land grab that has resulted in a tidal wave of violence and destruction.
Territory main sticking point
Trump has held talks with both sides in recent days, including a phone call with Putin on Monday that the White House described as “positive.”
During talks with Zelensky on Sunday, Trump offered Kyiv long-sought-after security guarantees for a period of 15 years, according to Kyiv.
But the issue of territory and the future of the Moscow-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine remain unresolved, Zelensky said.
Zelensky said Monday that Kyiv was ready for “any” format of meetings — including with Putin if necessary — but said he still did not think the Kremlin chief wanted peace.
The current plan, revised after weeks of intense US-Ukrainian negotiations, would stop the war at the current frontlines in the eastern Donbas region and establish a demilitarised area.
But the Kremlin has shown no sign of compromise.
Putin said Monday that Russia was pressing ahead with its plan to capture four Ukrainian regions it announced the annexation of in 2022 and that his troops were “confidently advancing.”
Moscow on Monday said it took another village, Dibrova, in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
