51% of Pinoys think influence of 'corrupt' gov't execs big factor in evading conviction

A bare majority or 51% of Filipino adults believed that the use of influence of government officials is the “biggest factor” to avoid conviction in the corruption cases filed against them, results of a Pulse Asia survey released Monday showed. 

The survey, conducted from December 12 to 15, 2025, also showed that for 25% of Filipino adults, the primary factor that would affect court decisions is the quality of evidence presented against alleged corrupt government officials

Other factors cited by respondents were the length of the trial of corruption cases (16%), and the fairness of judges handling the cases (8%). 

Meanwhile, 44% of Filipino adults are confident that the Philippine justice system could successfully prosecute high-level corruption cases.

Indecision on the matter was also expressed by a third or 33% of the adult population, while around a quarter or 24% was not confident about the ability of the country’s justice system to do so. 

Punishment 

Most Filipino adults, or 59%, were also optimistic that government officials who are allegedly involved in the flood control scandal would be punished. 

This figure was, however, lower than the 71% recorded in the Pulse Asia survey in September 2025. 

The rest of Filipino adults (28%) could not say if these government officials would be punished or not, while 13% were doubtful that they would be punished. 

The survey also showed that 36% of respondents believed the investigations conducted by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee into flood control projects sometimes reveal the truth but have limited impact; 29% said the hearings are likely to uncover the truth and hold those involved accountable.

Twenty-one percent believed that the investigations rarely lead to meaningful results while 12% said the probe was mainly for show or political theater.

On the other hand, 54% of the respondents said they have "big trust" on the media to address the issue of corruption, followed by civil society organizations at 47% while they have small or no trust to the Department of Public Works and Highways (59%) and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr (48%).

The nationwide survey, which used face-to-face interviews, was based on a sample of 1,200 respondents 18 years old and above. 

It has a ± 2.8% error margin at the 95% confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey also have the following error margins at 95% confidence level: ± 5.7% for Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. —AOL, GMA Integrated News