Online ops for Duterte bets; Focus on issues for Pangilinan, Aquino

MANILA, Philippines — “Heavy online operations” were boosting the chances of senatorial bets aligned with former President Rodrigo Duterte and “focusing on issues” were likewise helping independent candidates Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan and Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV.

This was according to Arjan Aguirre, a political science assistant professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, in a statement on Saturday.

This came after pollster Pulse Asia showed pro-Duterte bets actor Philip Salvador and SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta as well as Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino candidate Bam Aquino cracking the “Magic 12” in its March 23-29 survey.

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“From what I see, it seems that the admin candidates are losing big numbers due to their inability to keep up with the noise and ruckus of the campaign,” Aguirre said.

“Their (Duterte camp) heavy online operations and salience effect brought by intense new coverage from the mainstream media have allowed new candidates from the Duterte camp to barge in, [actor Philip] Salvador and [SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante] Marcoleta,” he added.

Aguirre specifically pointed to Duterte’s International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest last March 11 as the factor behind Salvador’s and Marcoleta’s improved numbers.

He further said more voters were beginning to make up their minds, as more of the survey respondents were selecting 12 candidates with a month to go before election day.

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“And it seems that the independent candidates, especially Bam Aquino and [former senator] Kiko Pangilinan, are benefiting from this given that they chose to have a disciplined campaign, focusing on their campaign issues, visiting areas and places that seem to be affected by their issues,” Aguirre said.

Pangilinan is running under the Liberal Party, as a tandem with Aquino.

“This is a huge push as they continue to consolidate the ‘pink’ voters who are still supporting [former Vice President] Leni Robredo and her advocacies on good governance and progressive leadership,” Aguirre added.