SEN. Benigno Aquino III topped the list of the people’s three best successors to President Gloria Arroyo next year, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations.
Six out of 10 adults polled by the SWS from Sept. 18 to 21 named Aquino in answer to the survey question, “Under the present Constitution, the term of Pres. Arroyo is up to 2010 only, and there will be an election for a new President in May 2010. Who do you think are good leaders who should succeed Pres. Arroyo as President? You may give up to three names.”
The next most popular was Sen. Manuel Villar (37 percent), followed by former President Joseph Estrada (18 percent), Sen. Francis Escudero (15 percent) and Sen. Manuel “Mar” Roxas (12 percent).
Vice President Noli De Castro was mentioned by 8 percent, Sen. Loren Legarda by 5 percent, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro by 4 percent, Sen. Panfilo Lacson by 2 percent, and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay by 2 percent, and both Metro Manila Development Authority Chairperson Bayani Fernando and Bro. Eddie Villanueva by 1 percent.
Six percent could not give an answer, and 4 percent had no one to recommend.
The respondents were not shown a list of names.
Aquino declared his decision to run as standard-bearer of the Liberal Party on Sept. 9. A week later the administration Lakas-Kampi-CMD chose Teodoro over Fernando as its presidential candidate.
Roxas, Lacson and Binay have since withdrawn their plan to run for president.