DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Recent surveys showed more Filipinos believe Vice President Sara Duterte will be convicted in her impeachment trial in the Senate for unexplained wealth.
The Momentum Research survey found 38.8% favored Duterte’s conviction, five percentage points higher than the 33.8% who want her acquitted. Twenty-two percent said they were undecided.
Meanwhile, a PUBLiCUS Asia survey showed 44% of respondents believe the trial will result in conviction, against 31% who expect acquittal. Another 25% were undecided.
Momentum’s survey asked respondents how they would decide on the case regarding the vice president and unexplained wealth allegedly between P817 million to P1 billion.
The research was conducted Oct. 16-19 through interviews with 1,401 persons across the nation, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. The timing came a few days after the House prosecution finished its presentation of evidence, withdrawing other charges and highlighting the unexplained wealth case.
PUBLiCUS’ survey was conducted Oct. 1-4 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Acceptance of verdict
The Social Weather Station (SWS), in a Sept. 20-27 survey, found 51% of Filipinos agreed the Senate’s verdict should be accepted, whether conviction or acquittal. It found 25% said they would disagree with the verdict and 24% were undecided.
Momentum’s survey also showed 32% said they would respect the decision, against 26% who would oppose it, while 24% were undecided.
These results stand out despite divided opinion over public trust in the Senate to deliver a fair trial.
Both Momentum and SWS surveys show roughly equal percentages of the public having little trust in the Senate: 36% and 35% respectively, compared with those who expressed trust at 32% and 28% respectively.
VP must testify
The surveys show a majority want VP Sara Duterte to testify in the trial.
SWS found 78% want to see Duterte testify and answer allegations against her on unexplained wealth.
The House prosecution laid out a paper trail of bank transactions and corporate records involving her and her husband, lawyer Manases “Mans” Carpio, showing unreported income from corporations in which both declared interests.
Prosecutors note that the vice president maintaining private business interests violates the Constitution.
One of Carpio’s business investments in Cale 88 Foods draws suspicion of money laundering involving millions in transactions from Chinese companies.
Unfazed by surveys
Both the House prosecution and the Senate responded to the surveys, saying negative views on their performance will not hamper their duties.
The SWS survey gave Duterte’s defense lawyers a 47% satisfaction rating and the prosecution 30%.
The prosecution drew a net negative satisfaction rating, with 35% of respondents expressing dissatisfaction over their work.
“Survey metrics measure public sentiment, whereas the Senator-judges are bound by oath to render judgment strictly on the basis of law and admissible evidence,” impeachment court spokesperson lawyer Reginald Tongol said in a statement.
House prosecution spokesperson Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, 1st District Lanao del Sur, also said the surveys do not determine whether prosecutors are wrong in doing their job.
“This survey, for us, should not give the impression that we are not doing the right thing. The survey may speak of different things,” Adiong said in a House news conference.
The lawmaker thinks perhaps other factors, such as the length of the trial, affected the public’s impression of the proceedings.
The impeachment is on break as the Senate tackles the national budget and will resume Nov. 9 with the defense presenting its side against the charges. (davaotoday.com)
