Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo has poked fun at Vice President Leni Robredo over her dismal performance in a pre-election survey.
In his Counterpoint program Wednesday, March 10, Panelo called Robredo "kulelat" (loser) for ranking last in a survey of potential presidential tandems in 2022.
A screenshot of the "Voter preference for presidential and vice presidential tandems 2022" survey was released by Panelo in his program. In the survey, the tandem of Robredo and Senator Francis Pangilinan would lose if the 2022 presidential elections were held today. The Liberal Party tandem earned the lowest score of 8 percent.
The poll results, on the other hand, showed the top voters' choice was the potential tandem of Senator Christopher Go and President Duterte for the elections. The administration tandem, floated by the survey firm, got 32 percent.
"Naalala ko tuloy si Otso-Diretso na walang nangyari. Natalo (I remember the Otso Diretso slate which did not fly. It lost)," Panelo said while reading the survey results on air.
"Ang kulelat ay talagang si Ate VP Leni at Mang Kiko Pangilinan -- 8 porsiyento (VP Leni and Kiko Pangilinan performed badly at 8 percent)," he added.
When he read the survey numbers in Mindanao, Panelo continued to mock Robredo-Pangilinan tandem for earning "zero" score. He claimed he felt sorry for Robredo for having no support from the people of Mindanao.
The Go-Duterte tandem, on other hand, got an "astronomical" 62 percent in Mindanao, according to Panelo.
"Ate Leni, kawawa ka naman. Condolence ha, parang patay yata 'yung survey mo sa Mindanao. Bakit naman zero ? Kayo naman. Bigyan naman ninyo ng 1 percent (Ate Leni, I pity you. Condolence since your survey number in Mindanao seemed to be dead. Why zero? At least give her 1 percent)," Panelo said in a sarcastic tone.
Under the survey conducted last month, a proposed tandem of Senator Grace Poe and Senate President Vicente Sotto III ranked second with 23 percent.
The presidential team of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Senator Manny Pacquiao placed third with 17 percent, followed by the tandem of Senator Panfilo Lacson and Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with 11 percent.
Panelo claimed the latest pre-election survey was independent, adding no one paid for such presidential poll.
The Palace official previously endorsed the tandem of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and her father President Duterte in the 2022 elections, confident that they would be unbeatable. The President's daughter however appeared reluctant in running for the highest government post in the country. Even President Duterte has discouraged the mayor from seeking the presidency, saying it was a thankless job.