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TACLOBAN CITY - Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone said the Lakas-Kampi CMD machinery could still boost the presidential candidacy of former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. even if he has been lagging in the popularity surveys.
Evardone, an Arroyo administration ally, said the Lakas-Kampi-CMD has been projecting a front-running position for Teodoro with the unleashing of the administration party's poll machinery, particularly at the local level during the campaign period.
"While I respect the results of these surveys, which are all done scientifically, its results are not necessarily the outcome of the elections," the Eastern Samar governor said on Saturday.
Various surveys have placed the administration candidate trailing behind Senators Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III of the Liberal Party and Manny Villar of the Nacionalista Party and former president Joseph Estrada of the Pwersa ng Masa.
Evardone said Aquino III or Villar have been popular due to their strong presence in the broadcast media via their campaign advertisements.
"Many of our people have no television sets of their own, especially in far-flung areas. That is why, he (Teodoro) is not yet a familiar face to them. But this will change once the local campaign starts," Evardone said.
He said that with the administration party having a complete line up down to the municipal level, they would be pushing for the presidential bid of Teodoro.
This, Evardone said, could spell the change that would give the former defense secretary a formidable edge on his rivals. /Inquirer
