Manila: Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union on Tuesday welcomed the latest OCTA Research survey showing 74 percent of Filipinos support the impending impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Z. Duterte. 'The poll is a reflection of the growing interest of an increasing number of Filipinos in the trial of the Vice President, who has consistently stayed away from the House impeachment proceedings,' Ortega said in a news release.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ortega noted that the new level of support for the trial is an improvement of 5 percentage-points from the 69 percent recorded in March. 'Ito'y nangangahulugan din na gusto nilang marinig ang sagot ni VP Sara sa mga paratang sa kanya, sagot na hindi nila narinig sa House impeachment process (It also means that they want to hear the answer of VP Sara on the allegations against her, answers that they didn't hear during the House impeachment process),' he said.
Ortega pointed out that the uptick in the level of support of Filipinos for the trial happened during the period when the House Committee on Justice conducted clarificatory hearings on the impeachment charges against the Vice President. 'Ako ay naniniwala na ang hindi pagdating ng bise presidente sa mga pagdinig na ginawa ng komite noong Abril at ang mga ebidensya na iprisinta dito ay nakakumbinse sa marami nating kababayan na suportahan ang impeachment trial (I believe that the refusal of the vice president to face the hearings conducted by the [House Justice] committee in April, and the evidence presented then, have convinced many of our countrymen to support the impeachment trial),' he said.
Ortega said the new survey should convince the Senate impeachment court to proceed with the actual trial and presentation of evidence as tentatively scheduled on July 6. 'Sa tingin ko, hindi papayag ang mga kababayan natin na maantala pa ito. Excited na excited na sila na matuloy ang trial at marinig si VP Sara (In my point of view, our countrymen won't allow it to be delayed. They are very excited to have the trial push through and hear VP Sara),' Ortega said.
