Vice President Leni Robredo should be careful about what she does or says.
The latest (June 24 to 29) Pulse Asia survey on the performance ratings of the five highest officials of the land is not flattering to her.
Robredo has significantly high disapproval ratings—29 percent in Metro Manila, the highest among the five—President Duterte (a low single-digit disapproval of six percent), Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III (16 percent), House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez (19 percent), and the Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno (17 percent).
Among these five, Robredo also has the highest disapproval rating, 21 percent, in Mindanao where Duterte has zero, Mindanaoans Pimentel and Alvarez six percent; and Sereno, nine.
Nationwide, Robredo has an approval rating of 61 percent (up three points from 58 percent in March). Compare that to Duterte’s amazing 82 percent (up four points from 78 percent in March 2017). She is even bested by Pimentel who has an approval of 62 percent (up seven points from 56 percent in March) although the veep has much higher approval rating than Alvarez (43) and Sereno (48).
A 21-point difference in approval rating between Duterte and Robredo is huge, about 25.6 percent. Based on a population of 100 million, it means 21 million more Filipinos approve of Duterte’s performance than they do of Robredo.
A high disapproval rating in Metro Manila and Mindanao should be troubling for Robredo. Metro Manila is the national capital. It is the political and opinion center of the nation. Mindanao, on the other hand, is an emerging power base, given that Duterte is the first president from Mindanao. It is also the most troubled area where a security crisis requires the strong leadership of a Duterte.
What happens if something happens to Duterte? Vice President Robredo will take over. But then a huge chunk of the national population—almost a fifth—does not approve of her job performance. She could takeover with a questionable mandate and a questionable performance. Will the national population accept her? Will the military accept her as their commander-in-chief?
Pulse Asia does not seem bothered by Robredo’s rating. Said the polling agency:
“A sizeable to big majority approval scores are enjoyed by three of the country’s leading government officials—Duterte 82 percent, Robredo 61 percent, and Pimentel 62 percent.”
Pulse Asia surveyed 1,200 adults. The survey has an error margin of three percentage points. During the survey period, the following developments took place:
1. The crisis in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur which began on May 23, 2017 when government security forces launched an operation in the area to capture terrorist leader Isnilon Hapilon; the continuing fighting between government security forces and the Maute terrorist group that has resulted in the loss of lives on the part of both camps, the evacuation of thousands of civilians, and the destruction of property; President Duterte earlier vowed that the crisis would be over by the first week of June 2017 but this has not yet materialized;
2. The decision of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to declare martial law in the entire Mindanao region on the same day the siege in Marawi City began; Proclamation No. 216 provides for the imposition of martial law in Mindanao for a period of 60 days and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus;
3. The expression of full support for the President’s martial law declaration by both Houses of Congress as they each adopted their own resolution backing Proclamation No. 216 (Senate Resolution No. 388 and House Resolution No. 1050, respectively);
4. The filing of three petitions before the Supreme Court in relation to President Duterte’s martial law declaration; one petition filed by a group of independent lawmakers sought to annul the President’s declaration while two others urged the Supreme Court to compel the Congress to convene in a joint session for the purpose of discussing the martial law declaration; the Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning the first petition; President Duterte said he will abide by whatever the high court decides on the matter;
5. Questions regarding the state of the President’s health following his absence during the celebration of Philippine Independence Day on June 12, 2017 and in the days that followed; amidst the President’s absence, Malacañang assured the public that he was not ill but was just resting;
6. The June 2, 2017 attack on Resorts World Manila by a former employee of the Department of Finance which resulted in the death of 38 individuals, including the perpetrator himself;
7. The clash between members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the military following an attack by the former on a militia outpost in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato on June 22, 2017; the military said the attack was not in any way connected to the Marawi siege and dismissed it as an “opportunistic activity” on the part of the BIFF.