A clear majority of Filipinos believe Vice President Sara Duterte should directly address the impeachment charges filed against her, according to the latest national survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS).
Commissioned by the Stratbase Group, the survey revealed that 66% of respondents agree that Duterte should confront the corruption allegations through the formal impeachment process.
The nationwide poll, conducted from June 25 to 29, 2025, involved face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents, with a ±3% margin of error for national figures and ±6% for each major region.
Mindanao registered the lowest agreement level, with only 55% saying the Vice President must respond to the charges, dragging down the national average.
A separate, non-commissioned SWS survey conducted during the same period showed that 59% of adult Filipinos were already aware of the impeachment case before being interviewed.
Awareness was highest in Metro Manila (68%), followed by the Visayas (64%), Balance Luzon (57%), and Mindanao (52%).
Support for the impeachment process also varied across regions. Metro Manila had the strongest agreement at 44%, followed by Balance Luzon at 40%. In contrast, support was lowest in Mindanao (13%) and the Visayas (28%).
The survey also revealed that 44% of respondents believe the Senate is deliberately delaying the start of the impeachment trial, indicating growing public demand for institutional accountability and timely proceedings.
Stratbase Group President Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit underscored the importance of these findings in light of public expectations on transparency and good governance.
“This level of awareness reflects a more engaged and vigilant public. Filipinos are watching closely and expect the country’s democratic institutions, particularly the Senate, to act decisively and impartially,” Manhit said.
“When half the population is already informed about an ongoing impeachment case, it shows that citizens are not just passive observers. They are actively following developments, asking questions, and expecting accountability from public officials,” he added.
He warned that any delay or interference in the process could damage public trust in democratic institutions.
“Transparency, accountability, and due process are the foundations of a functioning democracy. Any perception of delay or inaction risks undermining public trust: not just in individuals, but in the system itself,” Manhit said.
Adding to the growing calls for action, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on July 8 expressed concern over the Senate’s delay in acting on the impeachment process.
In a pastoral letter issued after their plenary assembly in Anda, Bohol, the bishops said they were “disturbed by the delay in the Senate in executing the constitutional demand for the impeachment process of the Vice President.”
The CBCP stressed that impeachment, when carried out with integrity, remains a “legitimate democratic mechanism for transparency and accountability in governance.”
They also urged Catholics to engage with national issues and resist apathy.
“We call our faithful to combat moral indifference, listen to all sides with openness, and foster a culture of engaged citizenship rooted in our Christian faith,” the bishops said.
