BM Defensor man to beat in 3rd District 2010 congressional race
If elections are held today, Iloilo third district board member Atty. Arthur “Toto” Defensor, Jr. will be the sure landslide winner in the congressional race for the third district of Iloilo against his two opponents, lawyers Zafiro Lauron and Rene Villa.
The final results of the voter preference survey conducted by Radyo Mo Nationwide (RMN) in the municipalities of Badiangan, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Calinog, Janiuay, Lambunao, Maasin, Mina and Pototan is out and as expected, Board Member Atty. Arthur R. Defensor, Jr. is a landslide winner and leading by a mile in all the said municipalities of the district, who garnered a total votes of 642 out of possible 900 votes. This means that if elections are held today, 71.33% of the district’s voters will vote for Toto Defensor, Jr., while 164 voters or 18.22% will support Rene Villa, while Boy Lauron earned the support of 84 voters or 9.33%, while ten (10) respondents or 1.11% are left undecided.
In an anticipated three-cornered fight for the seat to be vacated by Congressman and Majority Floor Leader Arthur D. Defensor, Sr., who will be seeking and reclaiming the seat of the governorship of the Province of Iloilo, among the three contenders, Defensor, Jr. is the man to beat and has the biggest chance to become the next representative of the third legislative district, and most likely to follow the footsteps of his namesake father.
Based on the data provided by RMN’s Kasamang Ray Cabarles on the results of the “Tatak Pulitika” survey conducted in the municipalities of Badiangan, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Calinog, Janiuay, Lambunao, Maasin, Mina and Pototan, Board Member Defensor, Jr. consistently ranked number one, and a landslide winner with a large margin of votes against his two possible opponents.
In Mina, Board Member Defensor was in the ballot of 93 of the 97 respondents, getting a whopping 95.88% of the votes. A distant second are Villa and Lauron, who got rank of tie, with two (2) votes or 2.06% each.
Meanwhile, in Maasin, the first to third spots in the congressional derby are just the same albeit with differences in percentage points, with Defensor again leading the race after getting the nod of 85 of 98 respondents, or a voter preference rating of remarkable 86.73%. It was Villa who placed second to him with 10.20%, with Lauron just a breath behind at third with 3.06%.
In Janiuay, surprisingly, Defensor earned 64 votes out of 99 respondents or 64.65%, which placed him again as the number choice of the voters of the municipality, which is said to be “bailiwick” of both Villa and Lauron. Villa trails Defensor at second with 33 votes or 33.33%, Lauron is at third with 2 votes or 2.02%.
The same sequence of votes in Bingawan, where Defensor again ranked number one with 68 votes out of 98 respondents or 69.39%. Villa got 21 votes or 21.43% and Lauron earned 9 votes or 9.18%, which placed them second and third, respectively.
In Badiangan, Defensor again garnered the highest number of votes of 56 out of 100 respondents or exactly 56%. Again, Villa is placed second with 29% and followed by Lauron with 15%.
Meanwhile, in Cabatuan, Defensor garnered 60 votes out of 100 respondents or exactly 60%, which again placed him as the number one choice. Villa again placed second, with 25 votes or 25%, and followed by Lauron, with 15 votes or 15%.
In Calinog, Defensor again topped the survey with 76 out of the possible 97 respondents or 78.35%. Again, it was Villa who placed second to him with 16 votes or 16.49%, and Lauron, who placed third, with 5 votes or 5.15%.
In Lambunao, Defensor led the survey for the congressional race, with 65 votes out of 100 respondents or 65%. This time, however, Lauron was able to pull the rug from under Villa, with the former mustering 22% of the votes and the latter being able to register only a measly 13%.
In Pototan, Defensor was in the ballot of 75 of the 100 respondents, getting a whopping remarkable 75% of the votes. A distant second is Villa, who is good for only 14%, followed closely by Lauron with 11%.
Defensor, Jr. is expected to run under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD banner of presidential bet Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, while Rene Villa will be under Liberal Party of presidential hopeful Senator Noynoy Aquino. On the other hand, Zafiro Lauron is expected to run under the Nacionalist People’s Coalition (NPC). (Von D. Superio)