7 in 10 Filipinos say VP Sara Duterte must answer impeachment charges: poll
Public wants answers: Impeachment gains public backing as 70% urge VP to answer charges
Manila: Seven in 10 Filipinos believe Vice President Sara Duterte should answer the impeachment charges against her, according to a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released as the Senate impeachment trial enters a critical phase.
The nationwide survey, conducted from June 20 to 29 — about a week before the Senate formally began hearing the case — found that 70% of respondents agreed that Duterte "must address the impeachment charges to be able to answer all allegations pertaining to the corruption charges filed against her."
Only 17% disagreed, while 13% were undecided, giving Duterte a net agreement rating of +52, up five points from +47 in the March 2026 survey.
The findings suggest sustained public support for holding the vice president accountable through the impeachment process, even as she remains one of the country's most popular political figures and the early frontrunner in several 2028 presidential preference surveys.
Awareness about impeachment case
The poll also found that 74% of adult Filipinos were already aware that Duterte's impeachment case had reached the Senate and was expected to proceed to trial.
Awareness has steadily increased over the past year as the politically charged proceedings have dominated national headlines.
Public awareness was highest in Metro Manila (79%), followed by Mindanao (77%), Balance Luzon (74%), and the Visayas (69%). Awareness also rose sharply with educational attainment, reaching 93% among college graduates.
Support for requiring Duterte to answer the charges was strongest in the Visayas, with a net agreement score of +58, followed by Balance Luzon (+56), Metro Manila (+49) and Mindanao (+42).
Bank records
The survey comes as the impeachment court weighs key evidentiary issues, including whether prosecutors can obtain Duterte's bank records and income tax returns as part of allegations involving unexplained wealth and the alleged misuse of confidential funds.
The impeachment complaint accuses Duterte of culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, including the alleged misuse of ₱612 million in confidential funds, refusal to recognise congressional oversight, alleged threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his family, and failure to fully disclose assets in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs).
Duterte has repeatedly denied the allegations and described the impeachment as politically motivated.
Despite the strong public sentiment that she should respond to the charges, Duterte continues to enjoy positive approval ratings.
The same SWS survey gave the vice president a net satisfaction rating of +31, classified as "good," with 58% satisfied, 26% dissatisfied, and 15% undecided.
Respondents who believed Duterte should not answer the impeachment charges gave her an even higher "very good" net satisfaction rating of +61, compared with +22 among those who agreed she should address the allegations.
Political analysts say the results highlight the complexity of public opinion: many Filipinos continue to approve of Duterte's overall performance while simultaneously believing she should publicly answer the accusations against her through the constitutional impeachment process.
The non-commissioned survey interviewed 1,200 adults nationwide through face-to-face interviews and carries a margin of error of ±3 percentage points nationally.
