A survey conducted by Radio Veritas showed that 7 out of 10 Filipinos are not in favor of President Duterte running for Vice President in the May 2022 polls.
"When asked 'Should President Rodrigo Duterte run for Vice President in the 2022 National Elections?'; the survey would reveal that around 72 percent of the respondents (7 out of 10) are not in favor of Pres. Duterte running for the Vice Presidency in the 2022 Polls," Radio Veritas said in a statement.
"In contrast, 25 percent of the respondents are in support of Pres. Duterte's possible VP run while the remaining 3 percent remains undecided on this issue," it added.
Radio Veritas said the survey also showed that more male respondents at 78 percent are opposed to Pres. Duterte's VP candidacy compared to their female counterparts of which 65 percent likewise dissents on this VP run.
"Only 20 percent male and 31 percent female respondents agree with Pres. Duterte's VP candidacy; while 2 percent male and 4 percent female respondents remain undecided," it said.
Fr. Anton CT Pascual, Radio Veritas President, said the survey clearly showed the people's negative perception of the president's possible VP bid in the 2022 polls.
"Such a perception should be taken into proper consideration when the time finally comes to file the certificate of candidacy because of the kind of message this will send in the minds of the Filipino electorate. It will either show a graceful exit of a leader who would hand over the reins to the next generation of leaders or it would show someone who has already reached the pinnacle of one's political career by already serving as president still hanging on to power. I hope and pray that this crossroad be a moment of true statesmanship and not a moment political convenience," hr said.
Veritas Truth Survey head Bro. Clifford Sorita said results of the survey show that true leaders are those that do not hinder change.
"As a summary of the qualitative sentiments of the respondents of this survey, let me just say that: Great leaders cultivate new leaders. They pass-on the baton, and amiably move-on," he said.
"They never hold-on to power to cover up a blunder. For their true legacy is the leadership continuity," added Sorita.
Veritas said the survey conducted from July 3 to Sept. 3, 2021, used a stratified sample of 1,200 respondents nationwide for a +/- 3 percent margin of error, gathered through text-based and online data gathering process of pre-existing on-ground database from previous face-to-face surveys.