MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/05 November) -- The Liberal Party tandem of senators Benigno Aquino III and Manuel “Mar” Roxas  topped the  survey conducted by Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. among elected officials in mock polls in the province’s three congressional districts this week.

In all three gatherings, the LP tandem led the mock polls.  

Zubiri requested an embargo of the poll figures although he obliged MindaNews  to release the ranking.  He said they want to put it on hold until the mass oath-taking of  politicians in the province to the Liberal Party at a still undisclosed date.

In the first district, where LP senatorial contender and former Rep. Nereus Acosta is based, Aquino led the survey with Defense Sec. Gilbert Teodoro a poor second, followed by Sen. Manuel Villar, and ousted President Joseph Estrada and Sen. Francis Escudero tying for the fourth place.

Roxas led among the vice presidential contenders, followed by Sen. Loren Legarda, who also was a poor second like Teodoro. Legard was followed by Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and Vice President Noli de Castro.

In the second district, the same ranking prevailed except that Escudero ranked higher than Estrada.

The second district covers the cities of Malaybalay and Valencia; and the towns of Cabanglasan, San Fernando, Impasug-ong and Lantapan.  There are 143 barangays in the district whose representative, Teofisto Guingona III, is also an LP senatorial bet.

In the third district, bailiwick of the Zubiris, the ranking remained the same but for De Castro ranking higher than Binay among the vice presidential contenders.

In Maramag, Zubiri told the participants he was now batting for the Aquino-Roxas tandem as the leaders had spoken through the mock polls. He had earlier said he was for Teodoro.

He described the tandem as “young,” “walang bahid” (untainted), and with integrity.

After lunch, he asked if the participants would back him in the move as he announced a mass oath taking for LP membership.

“Let us unite for the benefit of our province and our barangays,” he told the crowd.

The audience agreed with him, although he had to repeat the question when the response was initially timid.  

Zubiri lamented how President Arroyo’s party allegedly neglected the province and instead poured support to provinces which did not deliver votes for her in 2004 and 2007.

Among Mindanao’s 26 provinces, Bukidnon ranks third  in terms of registered voters, with 658,697 as of March 17, 2009.

Zubiri gave only five names for President and four for vice president, for the officials to choose from.

Among the congressional contenders, incumbent 1^st Rep. Candido Pancrudo topped the survey against Agriculture Usec. Jesus Emmanuel Paras and Acosta matriarch and former Rep. Socorro Acosta.

In the second district, board member Roland Deticio topped, followed by Malaybalay City mayor Florencio T. Flores Jr. and former vice governor Winifredo Agripo  as third placer.

No one has declared to run against Zubiri’s son, Jose Ma. III in the province’s third district.  

Zubiri introduced the presidential and vice presidential contenders before polling.  

Then he read the ballots as Capitol employees tallied votes on a white board and on tally sheets.  Malitbog Mayor Osmundo dela Rosa, head of the Bukidnon chapter of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and Damulog mayor Romeo Tiongco assisted the governor. 

Zubiri did not conduct these caucuses in the 2004 and 2007 elections.

At the end of the caucus in Maramag, he announced that participants can claim their transportation reimbursement of P2,000 each courtesy of the personal funds of  his son, Bukidnon 3^rd district Rep. Zubiri. (Walter I. Balane/MindaNews)

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