6/10 Pinoys oppose second term for Aquino

Around six in 10 Filipinos are not in favor of President Benigno Aquino III running again for the presidency after his term ends in 2016, a Pulse Asia survey revealed on Thursday.

According to the latest poll, 62 percent of Filipinos oppose proposals for Aquino to seek a second term should the 1987 Constitution be amended to allow for the re-election of an incumbent chief executive.

Pulse Asia said this is the majority sentiment across socio-economic classes (61 percent to 65 percent) and geographic areas (52 percent to 71 percent), with the Visayas being the exception.

Opposition to the proposal is more evident in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon than in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Only 33 percent of Filipinos are supportive of a term extension for Aquino, Pulse Asia said.

Cha-cha rejected

The newest survey also found out that for 62 percent of Filipinos, there is no need to amend the 1987 Constitution at the present time - with 32 percent opposed to charter change at any other time and 30 percent being open to the idea in the future.

Pulse Asia said opposition to charter change now is the majority sentiment in each geographic area and socio-economic groups.

On the other hand, 20 percent of Filipinos believe that the Constitution should be amended now while 18 percent are undecided.

The latest poll also showed that big majorities of Filipinos reject two specific proposed amendments to the Constitution.

About 70 percent are not in favor of limiting the powers of the Supreme Court to review decisions of the executive branch while 85 percent oppose foreign ownership of residential and industrial lands in the country.

The Pulse Asia survey was conducted from September 8 to 15, weeks after Aquino fueled speculations that he wanted to seek a second term with the declaration of his openness to Charter change.

Aquino and his spokespersons had been sending mixed signals on the issue, repeatedly saying that he will listen to the voice of his bosses - the Filipinos.

But the President had also clarified that he only wants constitutional amendments that will clip the powers of the Supreme Court.

Aquino had claimed that the high court has been overchecking the executive department, making it difficult for him to run the government.

His criticisms of the Supreme Court came after the Disbursement Acceleration Program of his administration was unanimously declared unconstitutional.