SWS survey reflects Senate impeachment court's fair procedure --Tongol

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The Senate impeachment court on Thursday committed to continue having a “transparent, rules-based impartiality” in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, following a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The survey showed that 51% of adult Filipinos agreed that the Senate decision—whether the Vice President is acquitted or convicted—should be accepted. Meanwhile, 26% (correctly rounded) disagreed, and 24% were undecided.

Impeachment court spokesperson Regie Tongol said that they see such numbers with “both quiet confidence in its even-handed procedure and a sober resolve to earn the trust of a cautious public.”

“Rather than treating these numbers with complacency, the Impeachment Court views the remaining undecided and skeptical segments of the public as a continuing challenge to demonstrate transparent, rules-based impartiality,” he said in a statement.

“As the proceedings resume on November 9, 2026, for the presentation of the Respondent’s
evidence on Article II, the Senate Impeachment Court will continue to enforce the rules of evidence and accord full due process to both sides, ensuring that its final constitutional judgment commands the respect of the entire nation,” he added.

He also stressed that while the court welcomes public attentiveness to the impeachment trial, the survey metrics only measure public sentiment, while senator-judges “are bound by oath to render judgment strictly on the basis of law and admissible evidence.”

The same SWS survey revealed that 35% of adult Filipinos are dissatisfied, while 30% are satisfied "that the prosecution of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte is being done in a just manner.”

The non-commissioned survey was conducted from September 21 to 27, 2026, using face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults aged 18 years old and above nationwide. The sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. — BM, GMA News

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