Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II topped the first leg of a mock elections series conducted at the University of the Philippines in Diliman last September 7 to 30.
Boto ng Iskolar ng Bayan, which was organized by the UP Alpha Sigma Fraternity, had over 2,500 student participants in different colleges in the university, which has a population of 20,000 students.
The fraternity revealed on Thursday (October 8) that Roxas garnered 598 votes or 23.1 percent of the total votes, followed by Sen. Grace Poe with 572 votes.
Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago placed third with 512 votes, while Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte placed fourth with 491 votes.
Sens. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Francis “Chiz” Escudero both got 68 votes and tied for fifth place, while Vice President Jejomar Binay placed sixth with 52 votes.
For the vice presidential race, Defensor-Santiago topped the polls with 428 votes, followed by Escudero with 401 votes.
Poe placed third with 351 votes, and Roxas’s running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo placed fourth with 338 votes.
The fraternity’s prominent members include Sen. Gringo Honasan, who is believed to be Binay’s running mate in the 2016 elections; Quezon City Rep. Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte; Marikina Rep. Romero “Miro” Quimbo; businessman Manuel Pangilinan, and former Environment Secretary Mike Defensor.
CNN Philippines’ Ivy Saunar contributed to this report.
