78% of Pinoys want VP Sara Duterte to face impeachment trial —OCTA survey

Majority of Filipinos believe Vice President Sara Duterte should face a Senate trial or impeachment court, according to survey results released Monday. 

Based on OCTA Research’s Tugon ng Masa (TNM) survey, 78% of Pinoys want Duterte to face a Senate trial or impeachment court to respond to the charges and formally clear her name. 

Only 13% disagreed while 9% said they did not know the answer or have no answer. 

“These findings reflect strong public support for accountability and due process in addressing the allegations against the Vice President,” OCTA said. 

Duterte's defense team said Monday that they are ready to face the charges should the impeachment trial proceed but stressed that the process should not be used as a weapon to harass political opponents. 

“We deem it proper to refrain from commenting on matters that are exclusive and internal to the Senate. However, we reiterate our firm position that the initiation of the impeachment process—particularly the Fourth Impeachment Complaint—suffers from serious constitutional infirmities,” the defense team said. 

Duterte earlier questioned whether the Articles of Impeachment filed against her in the Senate in the 19th Congress may be taken up by the chamber sitting as an impeachment court in the 20th Congress.

The non-commissioned survey was conducted from April 20 to 24 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 male and female respondents aged 18 and above.

According to OCTA, the survey has a margin of error of ±3 % at a 95% confidence level. "Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following margins of error at a 95% confidence level: ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao," OCTA said.

The House impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint.

On the same day, the Articles of Impeachment were transmitted to the Senate but the upper chamber adjourned without addressing the case.

On February 25, Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero said the processes related to Duterte's impeachment trial would start on June 2.

However, Escudero on May 29 said the presentation of the Articles of Impeachment before the Senate was moved to June 11 to prioritize the passage of the items in the administration's legislative agenda before the end of 19th Congress. 

Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa recently said that he and other senators are working on their drafts of a Senate resolution seeking to dismiss the impeachment case against Duterte. 

Duterte was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

The Vice President has denied the allegations. —with a report from Giselle Ombay/KG/AOL, GMA Integrated News