Arroyo stays strong as she heads into Philippine election

The departure of a rival has helped lift Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo into her biggest poll lead before general elections on May 10, the latest national survey showed yesterday.

The poll, the second in two weeks showing Arroyo pulling ahead, backed the view of many analysts that she is reaping the benefits of a better-funded campaign than her four opponents, who accuse her of misusing state funds to win votes.

It also raises the pressure on the opposition to unite behind action movie hero Fernando Poe Jr, who has lost a January lead of around eight points, or former police chief Panfilo Lacson.

Both men say they will not yield as presidential candidates.

The new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, conducted among 1,400 voters from April 10 to April 17, showed Arroyo opening a gap of more than four points on Poe at 35.3 percent to his 30.8 percent.

SWS said the departure of independent candidate Raul Roco for medical treatment in the US had lifted Arroyo.

"All indications are that she's going to win," said political analyst Joel Rocamora.

"The slow increase in her ratings is close to perfect for her because she doesn't want to peak too early," Rocamora said.

The last SWS poll, in late March, had Poe with a statistically insignificant lead of 32 percent over Arroyo's 31.4 percent.

Roco, a former education secretary who appeals to a similar middle-class base as Arroyo, has vowed to return for the election but some analysts see his campaign as effectively over.

"Raul Roco's sudden departure for abroad cost him almost half of his voting strength, allowing Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to gain a slim lead, and swelling the undecided," SWS said.

Roco had just 8.4 percent in the latest SWS survey, slipping to fourth spot behind Lacson's 10.6 percent.