A majority of adult Filipinos are either skeptical or undecided on whether senators will remain fair and impartial during the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, a recent OCTA Research survey revealed.
The nationwide poll, conducted from April 20 to 24, 2026, surveyed 1,200 respondents.
In a news release issued on Thursday, OCTA emphasized that the results represent a preliminary outlook. The research firm noted that the data was gathered before the formal commencement of the impeachment trial.
According to the data, 81 percent of respondents expressed doubt or chose to withhold judgment when asked if senators would rule based on legal principles and evidence rather than political ties. Only 19 percent believed the Senate would decide the case strictly on its legal merits.
Meanwhile, 32 percent stated they did not believe senators would remain impartial, and 49 percent were unsure.
“These results suggest that, even before the trial commenced, many Filipinos were reserving judgment regarding how senators would ultimately discharge their constitutional responsibilities as members of an impeachment court,” the news release stated.
OCTA noted that these figures underscore the crucial need for the final verdict to be rooted transparently in the facts of the case.
The survey also highlighted stark contrasts across geographical and socioeconomic lines. Respondents from Mindanao demonstrated the highest levels of outright skepticism.
Meanwhile, those living in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon showed the highest rates of uncertainty regarding the conduct of the proceedings.
In terms of socioeconomic classes, Class E respondents were the most likely to trust that senators would prioritize evidence and the law. Conversely, respondents from Class ABC expressed the most uncertainty.
“These findings suggest that perceptions of the impeachment process are not uniform across the country and that expectations regarding fairness, impartiality and credibility vary significantly across regions and socioeconomic groups,” OCTA said.
The survey has a ±3 percentage point margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level for national data, and a ±6 percentage point margin of error for regional breakdowns.