Nearly 9 in 10 want Sara Duterte to address impeachment charges — survey

May 30, 2025 | 12:05pm

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly nine in 10 Filipinos want Vice President Sara Duterte to address the impeachment charges against her and clear her name of corruption allegations, a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey shows.

The poll found 68% of respondents said Duterte should "definitely" address the charges, while 20% said she "probably should."

Only 7% believe Duterte should avoid the issue, according to the SWS survey.

RELATED: The allegations against VP Sara Duterte in impeachment proceedings 

The House of Representatives impeached the vice president in February over allegations of misusing confidential funds and making death threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., among others. 

Duterte has recently said she is looking forward to the trial in the Senate and wants it to be a "bloodbath." But in February, she filed a petition for certiorari and prohibition before the Supreme Court that seeks to block the proceedings from taking place.

While addressing impeachment charges ranked as Filipinos' second-highest priority for Duterte among actions included in the survey, the poll showed their top preference is for her to "collaboratively work to prioritize the nation's needs," with a whopping 93% in support. 

Specifically, at least 74% believe Duterte should "definitely" collaborate in addressing the nation's needs, while 19% said she "probably" should. Only less than 5% said she should not.

The survey results also suggest most Filipinos want the vice president to veer away from lambasting the Marcos administration. 

At least seven in 10 said Duterte should step back from criticizing the government and its initiatives, while two in 10 said she definitely or probably should not. 

Most participants of the survey also want Duterte to "focus on implementing her own platforms and policies" (86%) and "continue her duties as vice president and stop politicizing" (81%).

The SWS survey was conducted days before the midterm elections (May 2 to 6) and commissioned by the Stratbase Group.

Impeachment uncertainty. Some have made early forecasts of a swift acquittal for Duterte following the dismal showing of the president's endorsed candidates in the recent Senate race, where only around half of Alyansa candidates placed in the Magic 12. 

Others have speculated that the trial will not take place altogether after Senate President Chiz Escudero postponed the reading of the articles of impeachment from June 2 to June 11.

But congressman-elect Leila de Lima — a member of the House prosecution team — has brushed off the rumors and dismissed calls to abandon the trial.

Regardless of political winds, the former justice secretary said the Constitution requires the Senate to try impeachment cases

"If the accusations have no sufficient basis, the evidence will show that — not gossip or intimidation, and certainly not survey numbers," De Lima said in a statement in Filipino on Thursday, May 29.

"To abandon the process is to abandon the people who still believe in the promise of justice," De Lima added. 

De Lima and fellow congressman-elect and lawyer Chel Diokno — Akbayan partylist's first nominee — were asked by House Speaker Martin Romualdez to join the House prosecution panel after two members failed to be re-elected.

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