The camp of Senator Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III said Tuesday that the result of the latest Pulse Asia survey has proven the failure of critics of the Liberal Party standard bearer to “bring him down through lies and black propaganda.”

Lawyer Edwin Lacierda, spokesman of Aquino, said that the survey results re-affirmed Aquino’s “sizeable” lead in the latest Presidential pre-elections survey, against other popular presidential contenders Senator Manuel Villar Jr. and former President Joseph Estrada despite the series of subtle and evident moves to taint his credibility.

"The survey results validate our belief that the Filipino people continue to support our campaign for an honest government. It comes at a time when our many opponents are desperately trying to bring us down through lies and black propaganda,” Lacierda said.

With the latest Pulse Asia survey, in which Aquino received 45 percent of the 1,800 respondents polled from December 8 to 10, Lacierda claimed that the son of the late President Corazon Aquino and slain Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. has sustained the public’s confidence in him.

"The fact that these are among the highest ever ratings for a presidential candidate --- former president Joseph Estrada's peak approval stood at 42 percent and remained at around 38 percent during the 1998 elections --- proves that their dirty tricks are not working,” he added.

The Pulse Asia survey results were published a day before Aquino and his running mate, Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II flew to Albay province to personally distribute relief goods among evacuees at Daraga North Central School, Gogon Central School, and Bagumbayan Central School, among others.