Manila: A recent OCTA Research survey found that most adult Filipinos are skeptical or withholding judgement whether the senators will conduct a fair, impartial, and evidence-based impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte. The survey, held from April 20-24, 2026, included 1,200 respondents.
According to Philippines News Agency, the OCTA, in a news release Thursday, noted that since the survey was conducted before the trial commenced, the findings should be viewed as a 'baseline measure of public perceptions' and not 'fixed opinions.' It revealed that 81 percent of respondents are skeptical or withholding judgement when asked if they believe the senators will decide VP Duterte's impeachment case based on evidence and law rather than on political considerations.
Of the 1,200 respondents, only 19 percent answered "yes," while 32 percent answered "no," and 49 percent said they "don't know." "These results suggest that, even before the trial commenced, many Filipinos were reserving judgment regarding how senators would ultimately discharge their constitutional responsibilities as members of an impeachment court," the news release said. It added that the findings underscore the importance of a verdict grounded on evidence and the merits of the case.
OCTA said Mindanao recorded the highest level of skepticism, while Metro Manila and Balance Luzon showed higher levels of uncertainty. Across socioeconomic classes, Class E respondents showed they are more likely to believe that senators would decide primarily on the basis of evidence and the law, while Class ABC respondents showed the highest levels of uncertainty.
'These findings suggest that perceptions of the impeachment process are not uniform across the country and that expectations regarding fairness, impartiality, and credibility vary significantly across regions and socioeconomic groups." The survey has a ±3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level, with subnational estimates carrying a ±6 percent margin of error for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the OCTA said.
