Support for holding Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial at the Senate is broad and cuts across demographic lines, according to a new OCTA Research poll released April 14.
The Tugon ng Masa survey, fielded from March 19 to 25 among 1,200 respondents with a ±3 percent margin of error, put backing for a Senate trial at 69 percent. Opposition stood at 28 percent, with 3 percent undecided.
Regional breakdowns show the strongest support in the Visayas at 83 percent and Metro Manila at 81 percent. Mindanao — long considered Duterte’s political stronghold — still recorded majority support at 61 percent, though it also registered the highest opposition at 38 percent. Balance Luzon came in at 69 percent in favor.
Support was consistent across gender, age groups, and educational backgrounds.
OCTA framed the numbers as a signal of public confidence in institutional accountability. “The finding that a majority of Filipinos support an impeachment trial for Vice President Sara Duterte underscores broad public backing for impeachment as a mechanism for accountability and due process,” the group said.
The research firm also drew attention to what the data suggests about how Filipinos view the process itself. “Overall, the results may suggest a public that is not only highly aware of the issue, but also inclined to favor formal, rules-based mechanisms in resolving political controversies,” it added.
Notably, OCTA pointed to support even among some of Duterte’s own base, characterizing the trial as “an opportunity to address and respond to the allegations through a formal and transparent proceeding.” It described the impeachment process as potentially serving not just as punitive but as “a mechanism for validation and resolution.”
The poll was released a day after Ramil Madriaga — who identifies himself as Duterte’s former bagman — testified at a clarificatory hearing before the House committee on justice.
