About 3 in 4 Filipinos want Sara Duterte to face trial – OCTA poll
by Renalyn Ramirez · philstarMANILA, Philippines — Public support for Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial rose in April, with nearly 3 in 4 Filipinos saying she should answer the charges before the Senate, according to OCTA Research.
The figure climbed from 69% in March to 74% in April, even as support remains lower than the levels recorded in two impeachment-related surveys last year.
Twenty-one percent of respondents opposed the impeachment trial, while 4% were undecided.
The survey was conducted from April 20 to 24 among 1,200 male and female respondents from 240 sample barangays nationwide. It had a margin of error of ±3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Support uneven across regions
OCTA said support for the impeachment trial was consistent across economic classes, with more than 70% support recorded among respondents from classes ABC, D and E.
Regional results, however, were "more uneven."
Support was highest in the Visayas at 82%, followed by the National Capital Region at 81% and Balance Luzon at 77%. It was lowest in Mindanao at 58%.
OCTA described the Mindanao result as the "most analytically significant finding," noting that the region is the political base of the Duterte family.
Public opinion on VP Duterte impeachment trial
Do you think Vice President Sara Duterte should face trial in the Senate or an impeachment court to address the allegations against her?
| Response | PH | NCR | Balance Luzon | Visayas | Mindanao | ABC | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 74% | 81% | 77% | 82% | 58% | 74% | 75% | 73% |
| No | 21% | 16% | 14% | 18% | 41% | 20% | 21% | 22% |
| Don't know | 4% | 3% | 8% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 4% | 5% |
| Refused | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Source: OCTA Research survey conducted April 20–24, 2026. Sample size: 1,200 respondents. Margin of error: ±3%.
"The 41% opposition recorded there stands well above any other region and reflects patterns of regional political identity that have historically set Mindanao apart from national sentiment on issues involving the Duterte family," the researchers wrote.
OCTA said the result does not undercut the national finding of majority support, but shows that the impeachment process remains far more contested in Mindanao than in the country's other major regions.
Below 2025 levels
While support rose from March, OCTA noted that the April 2026 figure remained below the levels recorded in its previous impeachment-related surveys on Duterte—80% in July 2025 and 78% in April 2025.
The context of the current case differs from last year's. This time around, Duterte faces allegations of misuse of confidential funds, betrayal of public trust, unexplained wealth and grave threats against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.
The vice president has until 7 p.m. Monday, June 1, to submit her answer to the articles of impeachment before the Senate impeachment court.
The trial is expected to begin on July 6.