A majority of Filipino adults want Vice President Sara Duterte to take the witness stand in her own impeachment trial, according to a Pulse Asia survey reported by Philstar.com.
The poll, carried out from September 17 to 24 with 2,400 respondents, found that 51 percent wanted Duterte to testify before the Senate impeachment court. Thirty-four percent were against the idea, and 15 percent had not made up their minds, Philstar.com reports.
The same survey found that public attention to the case runs well ahead of public understanding of it. Only 41 percent of respondents said they knew a sufficient amount or a great deal about the impeachment proceedings, while 59 percent — close to six in ten — said they knew little or nothing about them, according to Philstar.com.
Even so, 55 percent said they were interested in the trial. Twenty percent said they were not interested, and 25 percent were undecided.
Why it matters
The numbers put public opinion on the record at a moment when the Senate is weighing how the trial will unfold, including whether the Vice President will appear in person. Duterte has said she will not step down from her post amid the trial, Philstar.com reported.
The survey also suggests the case has not yet settled into a clear public verdict. On the allegations of unexplained wealth against Duterte, respondents split almost evenly: 29 percent believed the allegations were true, while 30 percent believed they were not. The single largest group — 39 percent — said they could not tell either way, and 3 percent said they did not know enough to answer.
Shifting views since July
Compared with a similar Pulse Asia survey in July, the share of respondents who rejected the unexplained wealth allegations fell from 38 percent to 30 percent, Philstar.com reports.
Over the same period, the share who could not say whether the allegations were true rose by seven percentage points, from 32 percent to 39 percent. Those who believed the allegations were true moved up slightly, from 27 percent to 29 percent.
The movement points to a public that has grown less certain rather than more convinced in either direction. A separate report by the Daily Tribune said 71 percent of Filipinos were aware of the unexplained wealth allegations against Duterte.
Coverage of the survey also drew attention from other Philippine outlets. Inquirer.net reported that a majority of Filipinos want the Vice President to testify, and BusinessWorld Online reported that four in ten respondents expect a conviction.
What to watch
The Senate impeachment court's decisions on witnesses and scheduling will shape whether the public gets the testimony that half of those surveyed said they want. The next round of polling will show whether the large undecided bloc on the wealth allegations moves toward a firmer view as the trial proceeds.
