Two polls find public sentiment against impeachment evidence vs Sara Duterte
Members of the prosecution panel attend the 39th day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay City on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The court tackled administrative matters, including the handling of confidential documents in the prosecution’s formal offer of evidence. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News MANILA — Two separate national polls point to a widespread sentiment against prosecution evidence in Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Out of 1,200 respondents polled by WR Numero Research in October, 60 percent found the evidence against Duterte weak.
Thirty-three percent found the evidence strong and 6 percent said they did not have enough knowledge.
Among respondents who consider the evidence strong, liberal progressives and Marcos supporters constitute the largest groups at 37 percent and 33.1 percent, respectively, the pollster noted.
In contrast, Duterte supporters account for the largest share of those who consider the evidence weak at 38.2 percent.
Respondents who refuse to identify a political faction dominate those who lack sufficient knowledge to assess the evidence at 53.2 percent.
WR Numero said this suggested that “political identification is closely associated with how Filipinos evaluate the impeachment allegations.”
The Oct. 7-13 survey also found that most respondents reported support for Sara Duterte. Some 51 percent said they supported Sara Duterte before the proceedings and continue to support her, while 36 percent say they were never supporters.
Another 13 percent describe themselves as former supporters who withdrew support because of the trial.
Separately, a September survey by the Social Weather Stations found that only 25 percent believed the impeachment article that accuses Duterte of amassing unexplained wealth, while 38 percent did not.
The prosecution in October dropped three other impeachment articles against Duterte and retained only the unexplained wealth charge.
SWS also said 30 percent of adult Filipinos were satisfied, while 35 percent were dissatisfied that the prosecution of the impeachment case against Duterte was being done in a just manner, for a net satisfaction score of -5.
On the other hand, net satisfaction with the defense was +23.
Seventy-eight percent of those polled said it was important for the Vice President to testify personally.
Fifty-one percent, meanwhile, agreed that the Senate decision should be accepted, whether she is acquitted or convicted.
The defense is scheduled to begin presenting its evidence when the trial resumes on November 9, 2026.