Gordon Wins UP-CMC Mock Elections

Richard Gordon won a mock presidential election conducted by the Department of Journalism at the University of the Philippines Diliman February 24.

370 students from the UP College of Mass Communication (UP-CMC) voted, of whom 139 gave Gordon the seal of approval.

Gilbert Teodoro came in second at 107 votes, while Benigno Aquino III placed third with 48 votes. Manuel Villar earned 37 votes, Nicanor Perlas 15, Edgardo Villanueva five, Jamby Madrigal three, and Joseph Estrada one.

Students told members of the Department of Journalism they voted for Gordon because he had “experience,” “competence,” and “political will.” His “kamay na bakal (iron fist)” and perceived ability to “deliver the results this country needs” were also mentioned.

On the other hand, former Dean of the UP-CMC Professor Luis V. Teodoro described Gordon as “really, really smooth” and “slick as glass.”

In an analysis of the election results, Teodoro said though the culture at UP had a pro-poor and pro-reform character, the voters’ rejection of Villar and Aquino, who were pro-poor and pro-reform respectively, were “expressions of protest” against the “nine presidentiables who [were] hardly choices at all.”