Testify, Sara told by 8 of 10 Pinoys

Nearly eight in 10 Filipinos want Vice President Sara Duterte to face her accusers in person in her impeachment trial, but the public appears more satisfied with the performance of her defense lawyers than with the prosecution’s, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Conducted from 21 to 27 September and released Wednesday, 28 October, the survey found that 78 percent of respondents considered it important for Duterte to personally answer and explain the accusations against her.

A commanding 59 percent said her testimony was definitely important, while another 19 percent considered it somewhat important. Only 15 percent dismissed her personal appearance as unimportant, while eight percent said they did not know enough to weigh in.

The findings were gathered before the Senate impeachment court granted the prosecution’s 13 October motion to drop three of the four impeachment articles, leaving only the charge involving alleged unexplained wealth. The defense is scheduled to begin presenting its evidence when the trial resumes on 9 November.

Duterte’s lawyers appear to have won the public’s confidence, at least for now. Forty-seven percent of Filipinos said they were satisfied with the defense’s performance, against 24 percent who were dissatisfied, giving the lawyers a net satisfaction rating of +23.

The prosecution, in contrast, struggled to win over the public. Only 30 percent were satisfied with its handling of the case, while 35 percent were dissatisfied, leaving it with a net rating of −5. It also faces a larger pool of undecided respondents: 36 percent were unsure about its performance, compared with 29 percent for the defense.

Disbelief

SWS noted that the prosecution’s net satisfaction rating fell short of those recorded during the impeachment trials of former President Joseph Estrada and former Chief Justice Renato Corona. Estrada’s prosecutors posted a +19 in December 2000 and +21 in January 2001, while the prosecution in Corona’s trial recorded a hefty +39 in March 2012.

Across all four accusations against Duterte, more respondents did not believe the allegations than believed them.

On the alleged misuse of P612.5 million in confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education, 29 percent believed the accusation, while 38 percent did not.

On the alleged unexplained wealth omitted from her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, 25 percent believed the allegation, while 38 percent disbelieved it.

The accusation that Duterte bribed Department of Education officials was believed by 27 percent and rejected by 39 percent.

Meanwhile, 23 percent believed that she threatened to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez assassinated, while 44 percent did not. That allegation recorded the steepest negative net belief rating of the four charges, at −21, plunging from +5 in December 2024.

The survey measured public perceptions; it does not establish whether the allegations are true or false.

Power base

Support for Duterte’s defense team was strongest in Mindanao, which posted a net satisfaction rating of +48. This was followed by the Visayas at +27, Balance Luzon at +14 and Metro Manila at +6.

The prosecution panel fared poorly across most regions, with net ratings of −15 in both Metro Manila and the Visayas, and −8 in Mindanao. Only Balance Luzon gave it a positive rating, at +4.

Yet on one point, the regions were in agreement. The majority in all four areas considered Duterte’s personal testimony important. Support was highest in Metro Manila at 84 percent, followed by Balance Luzon at 80 percent, the Visayas at 76 percent and Mindanao at 71 percent.

Would Filipinos accept the Senate court’s final verdict? A slim majority of 51 percent said the eventual verdict should be accepted, whether it’s for Duterte’s acquittal or conviction.

Twenty-six percent disagreed, while 24 percent were undecided. Net agreement stood at +25, below comparable ratings during the Estrada and Corona trials.

SWS conducted face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide, with a national sampling error margin of ±3 percentage points. The questions were included on its own initiative and were not commissioned by an outside organization.