(CNN Philippines) — Despite facing a number of corruption allegations, Vice President Jejomar Binay still emerged on top of a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll as the best candidate to succeed President Benigno Aquino III in 2016.
Binay also topped a previous poll on the same matter in December 2014, where he received a rating of 37%. Despite the minor difference, last year’s rating was still higher than the rating he got this March — 36%.
Sen. Grace Poe came second on the list with 31% — only five-percentage points away from Binay’s rating.
Although Poe also trailed behind Binay in last year’s survey, her ratings notably improved by 10 percentage points this time around. In the latter part of 2014, she only received a rating of 21%, then giving Binay a 16-percentage point lead.
Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte were tied at number three, while both Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago and Manila Mayor Joseph claimed the fourth spot.
Although Duterte has not announced any plans for the upcoming elections, his ratings jumped from 5% in 2014 to 15% this year.
Sen. Chiz Escudero, meanwhile, narrowly made it to the top five with a rating of 8%.
The March 2015 survey on the top three best leaders to succeed President Aquino was conducted by the SWS from March 20 to 23. Out 1,200 respondents, 300 were from Metro Manila.
According to the SWS, face-to-face interviews were conducted to produce their findings.
