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MANILA - Former Senator Jinggoy Estrada is expected to make a political comeback in next year's midterm elections.

But his plans may be hurting his half-brother JV Ejercito's chances of getting reelected as shown in the latest pre-election survey, Pulse Asia president Ronald Holmes said.

"I would say so, because we've had siblings in the institution, but they didn't run in the same election," he told ANC's "Beyond Politics."

• 2019 Senatorial Preferences: Pulse Asia

If the senatorial elections were held this month, only Estrada would get a statistical chance at the upper chamber.

Some 34.6 percent of adult Filipinos would vote for Estrada, landing him at the 6th to 10th places.

Meanwhile, Ejercito got 26.7 percent, sharing the 11th to 17th places with other possible contenders.

"In that sense, maybe people are able to discern that it might be better just to select who among them that they would put in the institution," Holmes said.

• Women top 2019 senatorial survey: Pulse Asia

Dropping the Estrada name may have also affected Ejercito's poll ranking.

"In the case of JV (Ejercito), the difference between this election and the previous election when he ran for the Senate, he's not using the Estrada name. To a certain extent there's a brand carrying the name," the poll firm's president said.

Holmes added, "Although he has made himself known as JV Ejercito and has done well in the Senate, there's still a difference in carrying Ejercito and Estrada."

• JV Ejercito drops 'Estrada,' hopes track record can help reelection bid

Estrada, elected in 2004 and 2010, may be faring better because of name recall and the position he held before, he said.

"Jinggoy (Estrada) had been in the Senate twice. It would, more or less, compel people to identify him as one of the possible candidates that they would support," Holmes said.

Estrada is currently out on bail while on trial for plunder and graft for his alleged role in the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam.

• Will Jinggoy Estrada run alongside brother JV in 2019 polls?