‘Balato Twins’ bring up rear in latest Pulse Asia ratings

The so-called "Balato Twins" continue to bring up the rear in trust ratings of senators sitting as jurors in the impeachment trial of President Estrada.

Senators Tessie Aquino-Oreta and John Henry Osmeña rated -9 and -8, respectively, in the latest Pulse Asia survey as of Dec. 16, as the chamber may put to a vote today the decision of its presiding officer to open the bank statement of "Jose Valhalla."

But another of Mr. Estrada’s perceived allies, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, has seen her net approval rating jump from -5 percent since the start of trial Dec. 7 to 13 percent as of last weekend.

The survey, commissioned by The STAR, also pointed to certain danger signals for the President, with more Metro Manila respondents saying he should be preparing to leave Malacañang.

Chief Justice Hilario Davide has given the go-signal to open the envelope containing the Valhalla papers, which the prosecution says holds the key to the alleged purchase of a swanky mansion in New Manila, Quezon City for former movie starlet Laarni Enriquez, one of the President’s mistresses.

But Osmeña said he may move that Davide’s ruling be put to a vote, taking on the line of the defense and which could provide a clue on how the chamber will vote on Mr. Estrada’s impeachment charges.

It may be recalled that Osmeña and Oreta were given a P1-million balato each by the President’s chief accuser, Gov. Luis Singson, coming from Mr. Estrada’s mah-jongg winnings during a session aboard the presidential yacht while docked in Cebu City. The two lawmakers have since returned their checks.

At the high end of the net approval rating, Sen. Loren Legarda now seems to be "inheriting" the previous runaway popularity of Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, netting 60 percent in the tracking survey.

Legarda’s rating peaked at 67 percent on Dec. 9, or after the first two days of trial.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel’s rating was at 41 percent as of Dec. 16, or down significantly from 57 percent since the start of trial on Dec. 7.

Others whose ratings notably dropped since the start of trial, indicating possible "impeachment fatigue" on the part of respondents, were Senators Raul Roco (45 to 33 percent), Franklin Drilon (27 to 17 percent), Blas Ople (24 to 13 percent), Francisco Tatad (22 to 12 percent), Vicente Sotto III (25 to 11 percent), Sergio Osmeña III (24 to 9 percent), and the absent Robert Barbers (37 to 16 percent).

Curiously, the rating of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile jumped from 0 percent last Dec. 7 to 10 percent last weekend.

Meanwhile, Pulse Asia president Felipe Miranda noted a doubling in the proportion of people saying the President should prepare to leave Malacañang since trial began.

But the figure, he said, was relatively low at 18 percent, or one in five respondents.