Bangon Pilipinas Party standard bearer Bro. Eddie Villanueva is leading in exit polls conducted for absentee voting held in Hong Kong, a Filipino OFW newspaper said recently.

According to the Sun, Villanueva is ahead in a close race with Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III in the early result of 2010 absentee voting in Hong Kong.

An exit poll conducted by the Sun on the first Sunday of voting held last April 11 showed Villanueva ahead with 396 votes, or 36.1 percent of the total 2,901 votes cast. Aquino has 392 votes or 35.7 percent.

Running a distant 3rd is Manny Villar with 204 votes or 18.6 percent.

In the vice-presidential race, Aquino’s running mate Mar Roxas has a slight lead over BPP candidate Perfecto Yasay.

Bangon Pilipinas candidates also dominated the race for the 12 senate seats with six candidates.

Running 3rd is Katherine “Kata” Inocencio with 215 votes. Israel Virgines is 4th with 180 votes, Zafrullah Alonto is 5th with 179, Reynaldo Princesa is 6th with 178, Alex Tinsay is 7th with 177, and Adz Nikabulin is 9th with 167.

Villanueva expressed elation over the exit polls, saying that the votes they garnered in Hong Kong are proof that the presidential race is not over.

“Despite the financial advantage of our opponents, the war is far from over. And despite what surveys have said, Filipinos are rethinking their political choices. Surveys do not decide elections,” Villanueva said.

He said the Hong Kong vote is “an emphatic statement that OFWs know which candidate really cares for the ordinary Filipinos. May the rest of the electorate reflect on the choices of our OFWs, who keep this country alive by their remittances, and why they want us to lead this country and no other.”

The absentee voting in Hong Kong will run for three more Sundays.