Pulse Asia in Violation of Election Law – Tatad

In continuing to publish its election surveys without disclosing the names of candidates sponsoring them, Pulse Asia is committing an election offense and violating the code of ethics of the polling profession. This was disclosed today by former senator and senatorial candidate Francisco “Kit” Tatad in a statement to the media.

“The election law clearly requires all candidates, parties and companies to disclose all election-related expenses to the Comelec to ensure that candidates do not exceed spending limits,” he said. “By refusing to disclose the identity of survey sponsors, Pulse Asia is concealing an election expense. Hence, it is answerable to the law.”

Pulse Asia released on Tuesday the results of another survey on the May 10 election, and did not divulge the identity of any candidate or candidates who paid for it.

The former senator said that he will file a complaint before the Commission on Elections against Pulse Asia for the violation.

Tatad believes that candidates paying for the surveys are being projected as possible winners, at the expense of rival candidates, without Pulse Asia showing that the surveys are actually or properly being undertaken.

“For all we know, the results are just being manipulated to favor the candidate sponsors,” he said. “Thus the public is being deceived, and other candidates are being unfairly discriminated against.”

Tatad pointed out that Pulse Asia also violates the ethical standards of the survey profession for its non-disclosure of sponsors. “The ethical rule is – if you release survey results to the public, the pollster must divulge the sponsors’ names. This is a clear case of the candidate sponsors exploiting the surveys while keeping their identities secret.” #