Estrada trust rating falls to -19 percent

President Estrada’s "net trust ratings" plunged to minus 19 percent as of Jan. 8 following the testimony of Clarissa Ocampo, Equitable PCI Bank senior vice president, that the Chief Executive had signed an agreement with the bank under the name "Jose Velarde."

However, Felipe Miranda of Pulse Asia told The STAR yesterday the survey showed respondents distrusted Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo more than Mr. Estrada as her rating fell from plus 4 percent last December 7 to minus 39 as of January 8.

"The biggest problem of Vice President Arroyo is on people with distrust for her after she left her collaboration with the administration," he said. "Because Filipinos usually want collaborative leaders and they see her moving too fast for the presidency."

Miranda said the "distrust rating" of Arroyo had gone up from 46 percent in November to 50 percent in December last year, or a period of one month.

Miranda said the latest opinion poll was not commissioned by Malacañang nor by any other organization.

Miranda said the daily tracking on the impeachment trial was originally commissioned by The STAR and covered 300 respondents who were interviewed all over Metro Manila across income groups A, B, C, D, and E.

Miranda said the number of respondents who disagreed that the Chief Executive should resign, as demanded by the opposition, has shown an increasing trend.

"Although this is a statistically marginal difference, this means there are more of those who disagree that the President resign from office," he said.

Miranda said four out of 10 respondents "doubt" allegations thrown at Mr. Estrada in the impeachment trial since it started at the Senate last December 7.

At Malacañang, acting Press Secretary Mike Toledo told The STAR yesterday regular surveys by Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations also showed a drop in the "trust ratings" of Arroyo.

Toledo said the approval rating of the Vice President had gone down "from a high precipice to low depths," although he refused to give exact figures.

Toledo said the "steep plunge" in Arroyo’s ratings would make it more difficult for her to "recover lost ground" as compared to that of Mr. Estrada.

On the other hand, Toledo said Pulse Asia’s tracking of the Chief Executive’s "trust rating" is being influenced by the day-to-day presentation of evidence and witnesses in the impeachment trial.

"It’s quite possible when the defense counsels of President Estrada present their own evidence and witnesses to refute the allegations against him, the net trust rating of President Estrada will surely go up in the daily tracking," he said.