OCTA: Majority of Mindanaoans back VP impeachment trial

By Zaldy De Layola, Philippine News Agency

Vice President Sara Duterte (Office of the Vice President of the Philippines/facebook)

MANILA – The new OCTA Research survey in Mindanao across all socioeconomic classes, which shows that the majority support the impeachment trial against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, reflects a broad and growing public belief that the constitutional process should be allowed to take its course.

Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V of La Union on Monday said he was encouraged that support for the trial is being affirmed not only in Mindanao itself, but nationwide among Class C, D, and E respondents.

“Magandang makita na ang suporta sa impeachment trial ay may malinaw na majority sa Mindanao at sa iba’t ibang socioeconomic classes. Ibig sabihin, mas dumarami ang nakakaunawa dito at mas marami na ang humihingi ng accountability sa ating mga opisyal (It’s good to see that the support for an impeachment trial clearly has a majority in Mindanao and in different socioeconomic classes. Meaning, those who understand this matter are growing and there are more who already ask accountability from our officials),” Ortega said.

The OCTA “Tugon ng Masa” survey, conducted from March 19 to 25 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents, found that 69 percent of Filipinos believe Duterte should face trial before the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.

The survey’s main finding is that 69 percent of Filipinos nationwide support a Senate impeachment trial for Duterte, with 28 percent opposed and 3 percent undecided.

Among the major geographic areas, support reached 61 percent in Mindanao, while opposition there stood at 38 percent, and only 1 percent said they were undecided.

For Ortega, the Mindanao figure carries special meaning because the region has long been seen as one of the Vice President’s strongest political bases.

“Pati sa Mindanao, kung saan inaasahan ng marami na pinakamalakas ang simpatiya para sa Vice President, majority pa rin ang nagsasabing ituloy ang trial. Para sa akin, ang sinasabi niyan ay handa ang mga tao na pakinggan ang buong katotohanan at hayaang umandar ang proseso (Even in Mindanao, where many are expecting the strongest sympathy for the Vice President, majority are still saying the trial must continue. For me, that shows the people are ready to hear the whole truth and to allow the process to run),” he said.

The same OCTA survey also found majority support across all socioeconomic groups, with 71 percent support among Class ABC, 72 percent among Class D and 54 percent among Class E.

Ortega said those figures show that the sentiment is not confined to one class or one slice of the electorate, but is being shared across a wider social base.

The survey also showed that public awareness of the impeachment complaints against Duterte remains high at 87 percent nationwide, with awareness in Mindanao even higher at 91 percent.

Ortega said that level of awareness makes the Mindanao result even more significant because it suggests the support is not coming from unfamiliarity with the issue, but from a public that has been paying attention.

He said the survey should be read not as a political weapon, but as a public cue that Filipinos, including those in the Vice President’s own region and among ordinary income groups, want the allegations answered in the proper venue.