Villar to win one-on-one fight v. Aquino

Sunday, 07 February 2010 09:50 Maila Ager/Inquirer.net

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MANILA - Senator Manny Villar will win in the presidential race in a “one-on-one” contest with Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, a latest Pulse Asia survey showed.

In a two-cornered fight, the survey showed Villar with a 46 percent rating or a one point lead over Aquino with 45 percent.

The “one-on-one” scenario was contained in the same Pulse Asia survey conducted from January 22 to 26, 2010 among 1, 800 respondents, which showed Aquino and Villar statistically neck to neck in the presidential race, with 37 percent and 35 percent, respectively.

The survey has a plus or minus two percent margin of error.

Villar’s rating in a two-cornered fight was a “tremendous leap” compared to his previous 32 percent as against Aquino’s 62 percent during a Pulse Asia survey conducted October 22 to 30, 2009, also under the “one-on-one” scenario,” a statement from Villar’s office said on Sunday.

The statement also noted Villar’s 50 percent rating in Mindanao compared to Aquino’s 44 percent as he also solidified his lead in the class E voters with 50 percent against Aquino’s 41 percent.

Villar likewise overtook Aquino in Visayas with 47 percent against the latter's 46 percent and both running neck and neck in Luzon with 44 percent and 45 percent, respectively, it further said.

Villar’s camp said the National Capital Region was no longer an Aquino territory as the former closes in with a strong 41 percent comeback (from previous 24 percent last October) versus Aquino’s fragile 48 percent (down from 69 percent in October).

The “ABC” economic class, which is mostly pro-Aquino, remained, however, an Aquino bailiwick with 52 percent (67 percent) against Villar’s 37 percent (22 percent).

The “D” economic class is now a “free zone” as Villar was just three-percentage point away from Aquino’s 47 percent (60 percent in October), said the statement.