By Genalyn Kabiling The poor performance of the Otso Diretso senatorial candidates in recent surveys only indicates that voters are not buying their criticisms against the Duterte administration, according to a Palace official. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar (PCOO/ MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said many people apparently do not believe the "contrarians" and instead continue to support the administration. "Hindi naman siguro natin maiwasan na maobserbahan na talagang hindi dumidikit kung ano man iyong sinasabi nila o hindi pinapatulan ng mga kababayan natin. Sapagkat kung titingnan mo iyong huling survey na nilabas ng Pulse Asia ay halos walang nakapasok doon sa Otso Diretso na kanilang ticket, ng oposisyon [We can't help but observe that their criticisms do not stick, that our countrymen do not believe them. Because if you look at the latest Pulse Asia survey, almost no one from Otso Diretso opposition ticket entered the (top slots)," he said in a recent interview over government radio. "I guess, that reflects the sentiments of the people na kung anuman iyong mga kritisismo noong ibang mga kumakandidatong senador ay hindi naniniwala ang taumbayan ," he said. Senatorial candidates endorsed by President Duterte have dominated the latest pre-election survey conducted by Pulse Asia last month. Among the administration bets included in the Magic 12 are reelectionist Senators Cynthia Villar and Sonny Angara, Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, former Presidential assistant Christopher Go, former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, and former Presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino. Re-electionist Senator Bam Aquino, a candidate of the Otso Diretso ticket, was tied at the 11th to 16 spots with administration Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and former Senator Serge Osmeña. Former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, another Otso Diretso senatorial bet, had lower voter support after he placed 11th to 17th in the March survey. Buoyed by the latest survey results, Andanar maintained the President had more supporters than his critics. He noted that the opposition senatorial candidates were among these critics and “contrarians”. "Napakadaming mga critics pero hindi kasing dami ng mga supporters. Sadyang mayroon lang talagang mga contrarian sa mga ginagawa ni Presidente ," he said. "Pero alam mo, iyong mga contrarian naman ay sila din iyong mga tumatakbo na pagka-senador; halos marami sa kanila ay tumatakbong senador sa oposisyon ," he said.