Metro Manila, Philippines – Nearly half of Filipinos are satisfied with how Vice President Sara Duterte’s lawyers are handling her defense in the impeachment trial, compared to 30% for the prosecution, according to a non-commissioned survey held before prosecutors withdrew three charges.
According to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, 47% of adult Filipinos said they were satisfied with the defense team’s fair handling of the case, while 24% were dissatisfied. Another 29% were undecided.
In contrast, only 30% of respondents were satisfied with the prosecution team, while 35% expressed dissatisfaction. Over a third of Filipinos (36%) remained undecided on the prosecution’s performance.
Public approval for the prosecution team in Duterte’s case is at an all-time low compared to past trials. Historically, Filipinos tend to favor the defense team over the prosecution, with the 2012 trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona being the only time the prosecution scored higher than the defense based on data from SWS.
The poll also revealed that more Filipinos doubted than believed each of the original four claims filed against the Vice President:
- Alleged death threats: 44% did not believe claims that Duterte threatened top government officials, while 23% believed them.
- Confidential funds: 38% doubted claims regarding ₱612.5 million in confidential funds, compared to 29% who believed them.
- Unexplained wealth and bribery: 38% and 39% of respondents, respectively, did not believe these claims.
The SWS survey was conducted from Sept. 21 to 27, before the Senate Impeachment Court approved a motion on October 13 to drop three of the four original charges.
When the Senate trial resumes on Nov. 9, proceedings will focus solely on Article II regarding alleged unexplained wealth, with Vice President Duterte’s defense team presenting its evidence.
