THE latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing that 70% of Filipinos believe Vice President Sara Z. Duterte must answer the impeachment charges against her underscores the public’s demand for accountability despite her continued popularity.
Trial spokesperson and impeachment adviser Robert Ace Barbers made the remarks as Duterte’s trial continues before the Senate Impeachment Court.
“The survey sends a powerful message. Filipinos may continue to support Vice President Sara Duterte, but they also want her to answer the impeachment charges against her. Public trust and accountability can go hand in hand,” Barbers, a former Surigao del Norte congressman and governor, said.
Barbers, a former chair of the House Quad Comm during the 19th Congress, said the findings belie claims that Duterte’s strong public support has diminished interest in the impeachment proceedings.
“The Filipino people are making a clear distinction between popularity and accountability. They are saying that regardless of a public official’s ratings, serious allegations must still be answered,” he said.
Barbers, the chairman of the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs in the 19th Congress, noted that the survey comes on the heels of separate SWS polls showing Duterte remained the highest-rated among the country’s top government officials in both public satisfaction and trust.
The SWS survey conducted from June 20 to 29 gave Duterte a “good” net satisfaction rating of +31, with 58% of respondents satisfied with her performance. Another SWS survey conducted during the same period also showed she posted the highest net trust rating among the country’s top government officials.
“That makes this latest survey even more significant. Despite her strong public ratings, an even larger majority of Filipinos still believe she should answer the impeachment charges. Popularity is not immunity from accountability,” Barbers said.
He said the prosecution remains focused on presenting evidence and allowing the Senate impeachment court to decide the case based on the facts.
“We have always maintained that this is not a popularity contest. It is a constitutional process. The Filipino people deserve to hear the evidence, and the Senate impeachment court deserves the opportunity to decide the case based on the truth,” Barbers said.
The Second Quarter 2026 SWS Survey found that 70% of adult Filipinos agreed that Duterte “must address the impeachment charges to be able to answer all allegations pertaining to the corruption charges filed against her.”
The same survey also found that 74% of respondents were already aware of the impeachment case before they were interviewed.
Conducted from June 20 to 29, the nationwide survey covered 1,200 adult respondents and was completed a week before the Senate impeachment trial formally opened.
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