By el Amigo
MANILA, Philippines — Most Filipinos are holding off on making a final judgment on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a nationwide survey showing a strong public preference for an evidence-based verdict.
OCTA Research reported that 55 percent of adult Filipinos said it was still too early to decide whether Duterte should be convicted or acquitted, preferring to see and assess the evidence first.
Only 21 percent of respondents said Duterte should be acquitted, while 17 percent believed she should be convicted and removed from office. Seven percent either remained undecided or declined to express an opinion.
The survey also found broad public support for keeping politics out of the impeachment process.
A total of 71 percent said senators acting as impeachment judges should be guided by the law and evidence when deciding the case, rather than by political considerations.
The demand for an evidence-based determination was strongest in Luzon, where 58 percent of respondents took that position. It was followed by Metro Manila at 56 percent, the Visayas at 53 percent and Mindanao at 48 percent.
Despite having the lowest percentage favoring an evidence-first approach, Mindanao registered the strongest support for acquittal, with 41 percent saying Duterte should be cleared of the charges.
The same pattern was evident across socioeconomic groups. The evidence-first position was favored by 64 percent of respondents in Class ABC, 54 percent in Class D and 55 percent in Class E.
The OCTA findings indicate that while Filipinos have differing views on the Vice President’s political fate, a majority are reluctant to reach a verdict without first seeing the evidence presented during the impeachment proceedings.
The survey also highlights the public’s expectation that the Senate, in its role as an impeachment court, should resolve the case according to established legal standards rather than partisan or political considerations.
elamigo/xf
