Pulse Asia: 51% want Sara Duterte to testify before impeach court

A slim majority of Filipinos think Vice President Sara Duterte should testify in person before the Senate impeachment court, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey.

The September 2026 Ulat ng Bayan survey found that 51 percent of Filipino adults wanted Duterte to take the witness stand in her impeachment trial, while 34 percent said she should not testify. Another 14 percent were undecided, while 1 percent declined to answer.

The findings come as the Senate impeachment court prepares to resume hearings on Nov. 9, with allegations of unexplained wealth and nondisclosure of assets remaining the sole basis of the case after the prosecution withdrew three of the four articles of impeachment.

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The Pulse Asia survey, conducted from Sept. 17 to 24, showed sharp regional differences in public opinion on whether Duterte should personally testify.

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Pulse Asia interviewed 2,400 adults aged 18 and above through face-to-face interviews from Sept. 17 to 24. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points at the national level and plus or minus 4 percentage points in each of the four major geographic areas: Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Support for her appearance was highest in Metro Manila at 66 percent, followed by Luzon outside Metro Manila, where 61 percent said she should testify. The figures fell to 43 percent in the Visayas and 32 percent in Mindanao.

Conversely, opposition to her personally testifying was highest in Mindanao at 61 percent, followed by the Visayas at 43, Metro Manila at 21 percent, and Luzon outside Metro Manila at 20 percent.

Divided on wealth issue

The survey also found that 71 percent of Filipino adults were aware of allegations concerning Duterte’s unexplained wealth, while 29 percent said they were unaware.

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Awareness was highest in the Visayas at 84 percent, followed by Luzon outside Metro Manila at 70 percent, Metro Manila at 69 percent and Mindanao at 62 percent.

But awareness did not translate into a clear consensus on the allegations’ truthfulness.

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Among the 71 percent of the respondents aware of the allegations, 39 percent were unable to say if they were true or not, while 30 percent believed them to be untrue and 29 percent considered them true. About 3 percent said they lacked sufficient knowledge to give an opinion.

Among the classes, awareness was highest in Class ABC at 75 percent, followed by Class D at 70 percent and Class E at 69 percent.

Belief in the allegations was strongest in Metro Manila, where 41 percent of respondents who were aware of them considered them true. This was followed by the rest of Luzon at 36 percent, the Visayas at 26 percent and Mindanao at just 6 percent.

Those who considered the allegations untrue were most prevalent in Mindanao at 71 percent, followed by the Visayas at 33 percent, Metro Manila at 21 percent and the rest of Luzon at 12 percent

Indecision was highest in Luzon outside Metro Manila at 48 percent, followed by the Visayas at 39 percent, Metro Manila at 32 percent and Mindanao at 21 percent.

Pulse Asia noted that awareness of the allegations had declined between July and September 2026, falling by 10 percentage points nationally, 13 points in Metro Manila, 14 points in the rest of Luzon and nine points in Mindanao.

Indecision, meanwhile, increased by 7 percentage points nationally, 11 points in the rest of Luzon, 15 points among Class ABC respondents and 7 points in Class D.

The proportion of respondents who considered the allegations untrue also declined by 8 percentage points nationally, 14 points in the rest of Luzon and nine points in Class D.

Doubts over senator-judges

The survey showed that most Filipinos were uncertain whether senators would be fair in deciding Duterte’s impeachment case.

Six in 10 respondents, or 60 percent, believed some senator-judges would be fair while others would not. Another 20 percent expected the senators to be fair, while 17 percent believed they would not be fair.

The remaining respondents either could not say or declined to answer.

The view that senators would be divided in their fairness was most prevalent in Mindanao at 67 percent, followed by the rest of Luzon at 61 percent, Metro Manila at 59 percent and the Visayas at 47 percent.

By socioeconomic class, 65 percent of Class E respondents expected some senators to be fair and others not, compared with 59 percent in Class D and 58 percent in Class ABC.

Despite limited familiarity with the proceedings, interest in the trial remained substantial.

A majority of 55 percent said they were interested in Duterte’s impeachment trial, while 20 percent expressed disinterest and 25 percent were undecided.

On their knowledge of the case, 53 percent said they knew little about it, while 35 percent reported having sufficient, though not extensive, knowledge. Another 5 percent said they had a great deal of knowledge, while 6 percent reported having almost no knowledge or none at all.

The internet and television were the leading sources of information about the trial, cited by 64 percent and 59 percent of respondents, respectively. News reports on each platform were cited by 58 percent.

Radio was a source for 15 percent, while 0.3 percent cited newspapers. Nine percent said they were not monitoring the proceedings.

Article 2 remains

The Senate impeachment court, after 38 days of trial, allowed the House prosecution panel to withdraw three of the four impeachment articles against Duterte, leaving Article 2, concerning alleged unexplained wealth and nondisclosure of assets, as the sole remaining basis for the proceedings.

The defense is scheduled to present its case beginning Nov. 9, with 25 trial days allotted for its presentation.

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Asked about the broader implications, 39 percent of respondents could not say whether the impeachment process would have a positive or negative effect on Philippine democracy. Another 31 percent said it would have a negative impact, while 30 percent expected a positive effect. INQ