LAKAS-CMD, Romualdez expect

THE leadership of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) expects vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte to sustain and even widen her runaway lead over her rivals leading to her landslide win in the upcoming elections.

House Majority Leader and Lakas-CMD President Martin G. Romualdez of the 1st District of Leyte predicted that Duterte, Lakas-CMD chairperson, who is running in tandem with former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) under the UniTeam, will further break away from their respective rivals who have been consistently lagging behind as the campaign heats up.

“I am convinced that Mayor Duterte will not only sustain her lead over her rivals, but will gain further, now that we are in the official campaign season where the vice presidential candidate could bring her and the UniTeam’s platforms directly to the people and expound on them,” he said.

“Add the fact that she’s already going around the country for her campaign, sealing off support from folks and politicians alike,” Romualdez added of Mayor Duterte.

Romualdez spoke in the aftermath of the release of the results of the survey conducted across the country by the Laylo Research, which showed Duterte was the vice president of choice by 60 percent of the respondents compared to the 19 percent of her closest rival, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Duterte also topped the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from January 19 to 24 where she got 50 percent of the respondents with 29 percent picking Sotto. The Lakas-CMD president noted that the Laylo mega poll, which was participated in by 15,450 voters was carried out from January 10 up to 26 — when the official campaign period had not yet started and Mayor Duterte had not campaigned around the country then.

The Laylo report showed Mayor Duterte not only led in demographics, but even in age, gender and economic classes of voters.

At the start of the campaign, Duterte barnstormed key areas in the Visayas and Mindanao through her “Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas Ride” where she notched the support and backings of political leaders, various groups and grassroots organizations.

Even in Bicol region, the supposed bailiwick of a presidential candidate, Duterte got assurances of support and endorsements from key political leaders in the region, including Camarines Sur Gov. Migz Villafuerte, Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte, Camarines Norte Edgardo “Egay” Tallado, and Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda .

Duterte has also initially campaigned in Central Luzon, particularly in Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya, and in the National Capital Region (NCR) where she got the endorsements of political leaders and support of various groups and even ordinary folks.

“We will not only sustain the lead, but we will veer away,” said Romualdez of Mayor Duterte’s chances in the elections, as he noted the sustained endorsements and pledges of support even by Church-based groups and congregations, including El Shaddai.

El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde recently endorsed Duterte and Marcos where he also echoed UniTeam’s call for unity. “It’s time for us Filipinos to be united.”

Velarde recalled that El Shaddai delivered 2.5 million votes to former President Joseph Estrada in the 1998 presidential elections.