A petition filed yesterday may start the ball rolling for a wide review of the role of pollsters in the mind-conditioning of voters and even outright poll manipulation.

Defending an exit poll in 2004 that showed then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo leading opposition rival Fernando Poe Jr. 40.84 percent against 32.26 percent, Social Weather Stations (SWS) president Mahar Mangahas said the pattern in which Arroyo led in the Visayas and Mindanao regions showed a “much too large” lead even with Poe getting the votes from Luzon.

Controversial lawyer Larry Gadon petitioned the Commission on Elections yesterday for both SWS and Pulse Asia to cease releasing pre-election survey results

Fernando Poe Jr. He said “the fight between Luzon (for Poe) and Visayas and Mindanao where GMA (Mrs. Arroyo’s initials) leading” turned out to be a regional contest between the Tagalogs and Ilocanos for Poe as against the Cebuanos and Ilonggos for Mrs. Arroyo.

Arroyo’s poll victory was questioned after the so-called “Hello Garci” tapes came out.

Controversial lawyer Larry Gadon petitioned the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday for both SWS and Pulse Asia to cease releasing pre-election survey results.

Gadon claimed the surveys conducted by SWS and Pulse Asia cannot claim to represent the entire population of the country and the survey results were “fake news.”

SWS was also previously accused of mind-conditioning operations in 2017 regarding President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs through a series of detrimental survey results.

From 21 September to 28 October, 10 survey results showed adverse results on the anti-narcotics campaign.

A 23 to 27 September survey found 54 percent of Filipinos “agree” with its suggestion that “Rich drug pushers are not killed; only the poor ones are killed.”

It was followed by a June survey on the same issue. Mr. Duterte then said that he was a victim of demonization by his opponents who employed the results of the SWS surveys to buttress their vilification effort.

The SWS psy ops started 21 September through a supposed special report based on a survey done on 23 to 26 June that found 80 percent of Filipino adults were satisfied with the way democracy works.

It was followed by Part 1 of an anti-war on drugs series using a 23 to 26 June survey released piecemeal apparently to gain maximum mileage.

It opened with results of a 27 September survey that showed nearly half thought many of those killed by the police were not really drug pushers, followed by a 29 September poll showing 75 percent of Metro Manila residents said that some drug suspects who surrendered were “still killed.”

It also conducted a 23 to 26 June survey showing three out of four expressed belief that Rody should expose his list of drug personalities and charge them in court.

The next day it issued results of a survey that stated nearly half of “Filipinos” mistakenly believed drug use is punishable by death.

Still during the same survey period, SWS released results last 5 October of a poll showing 73 percent of Filipinos worried about becoming victims of EJK.

According to Gadon, pre-election surveys condition the minds of voters in favor of the top candidates.

Spoilsport Lawyer Larry Gadon displays petition to bar survey firms from influencing voters’ decisions. BOB DUNGO JR. “If they see someone topping the surveys, they will likely vote for that candidate,” Gadon said.

Moreover, he also underscored that the respondents should not be referred to as representing the entire Philippine population.

The senatorial candidate cited the possibility of his making it to the top 12 if only the pollsters increase the number of respondents.

Based on the latest survey of the SWS, Gadon placed 29th among senatorial candidates wherein Senators Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe are the front runners.

In a two-page petition filed with the Comelec, Gadon argued that stopping these poll firms from publishing survey results on senatorial preferences is in accordance with Article 9, Section C.4 of the 1987 Constitution, which stated that the “Comelec may, during the election period, supervise or regulate the enjoyment or utilization of all franchises or permits for the operation of transportation and other public utilities, media of communication or information, all grants, special privileges, or concessions granted by the government or any subdivision, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including any government-owned or controlled corporation or its subsidiary.”

The same provision also stated that such supervision or regulation “will ensure that there is equal opportunity, time and space and the right to reply, including reasonable, equal rates therefor, for public information campaigns and forums among candidates.”

“It is respectfully prayed before this Honorable Commission that the instant petition be given due course and that respondents SWS and Pulse Asia be directed to cease and desist from publishing bogus survey results calculated to mislead voters pertinent to the position of Senator relative to the 13 May 2019 national elections from the start of the campaign period until election day,” Gadon’s petition read.

In his petition, the lawyer said, “There is now an urgent need” for the Comelec “to step in and stop this nefarious scheme of the respondents.”

“Allowing the continued publication of these questionable surveys will run counter to this honorable commission’s avowed objective of holding free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible elections,” he said.