Seven in 10 Filipinos, or 71 percent, believe senator-judges should decide the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte based on the law and evidence presented during the trial rather than political considerations, according to the July 2026 Tugon ng Masa Survey conducted by OCTA Research.
The non-commissioned survey was conducted from July 4 to 11, 2026, before the presentation of evidence in the Senate impeachment trial, through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above nationwide. It has a ±3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.
OCTA Research said the survey did not measure whether respondents wanted Duterte convicted or acquitted, but instead gauged public expectations on how senator-judges should decide the case.
“The survey measures public expectations regarding the integrity, fairness, and legitimacy of the impeachment process itself,” the research group said.
Results showed that 71 percent of respondents believe the Senate’s decision should be guided primarily by the law and evidence presented during the trial, while 21 percent said political considerations should matter most.
According to OCTA, the findings indicate that Filipinos place a high value on due process and expect senators to perform their constitutional duty impartially.
Support for evidence-based decision-making was recorded across all major geographic areas, socioeconomic classes, and demographic groups, although levels of support varied by region.
The research group also noted that many Filipinos distinguish the impeachment process from its political context, recognizing its political nature while still expecting senators to decide the case based on constitutional and legal standards rather than partisan interests.
OCTA said the survey provides a baseline for measuring public confidence in the impeachment process as the trial progresses, adding that the results reflect broader public expectations for institutional fairness, due process, and evidence-based governance regardless of the trial’s outcome.
