Duterte Widens Lead in Philippines Race Despite Rape Comment
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Philippine presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte.
Photographer: Dondi Tawatao/Getty ImagesRodrigo Duterte jumped further ahead in the Philippine presidential race, according to a new poll taken after the tough talking Davao City mayor’s inflammatory comments over the 1989 rape and murder of an Australian missionary, as the campaign enters its last two weeks.
In the latest poll published by BusinessWorld and conducted by Social Weather Stations April 18 to April 20, Duterte led with 33 percent compared with 27 percent in SWS’s previous survey. Senator Grace Poe was in second with 24 percent, while Mar Roxas, the candidate backed by outgoing President Benigno Aquino, was third on 19 percent. Vice President Jejomar Binay fell to fourth with 14 percent. The election will be held on May 9.