Jamaine Punzalan

House prosecutors, members of the defense team, and key officials arrive for the pre-trial conference of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate of the Philippines on June 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

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VP SARA IMPEACHMENT- PRE TRIAL

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178175821866420260618-senate-impeachment-pre-trial-conference-MT12.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">House prosecutors, members of the defense team, and key officials arrive for the pre-trial conference of the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte at the Senate of the Philippines on June 18, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Only 19% of Filipinos adults believe that most senator-judges will decide based on evidence and the law rather than political
considerations in Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s upcoming impeachment trial, a survey by OCTA Research suggests.</p><p>The poll, conducted in April 20-24 but only released Thursday, also showed that 32% did not believe that most senator-judges would decide based on evidence while 49% remained undecided. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/18/sara-duterte-impeachment-pre-trial-conference-starts-0946">Sara Duterte impeachment pre-trial conference starts</a></div><p>This means that the public confidence in the Senate&#x27;s
anticipated handling of the impeachment trial &quot;remains limited,&quot; OCTA said.</p><p>It said the results suggest that even ahead of the trial, many Filipinos were reserving judgment on how senators would conduct the proceedings.</p><p>The findings meanwhile also reveal &quot;significant&quot; regional and socioeconomic differences in
expectations regarding the impeachment trial. </p><p>OCTA reported that &quot;skepticism&quot; in the impeachment trial was &quot;most pronounced&quot; in
Mindanao while &quot;uncertainty&quot; was highest in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/18/gatchalian-senate-to-still-discuss-presiding-officer-of-vp-duterte-trial-1113">Gatchalian clarifies Senate to discuss presiding officer for Sara Duterte impeachment trial</a></div><p>&quot;Across socioeconomic
classes, Class E respondents are more likely than other groups to believe that senators
would decide primarily on the basis of evidence and the law, while Class ABC
respondents exhibit the highest levels of uncertainty,&quot; it also said.</p><p>For OCTA, the survey suggests that public acceptance of the impeachment process could depend not only on the verdict but also on &quot;whether
the proceedings themselves are perceived as fair, impartial, transparent, and grounded
in evidence and due process.&quot;</p><p>The pollster said that while the survey was conducted prior to the commencement of any impeachment trial proceedings in the Senate, its &quot;findings reflect public
expectations, perceptions, and anticipations regarding the Senate&#x27;s prospective role as
an impeachment court rather than evaluations of its actual conduct during the
proceedings.&quot;</p><p>On Thursday, the legal team of Duterte and the House prosecution panel met for a pre-impeachment trial conference, which serves as the initial gathering of both panels before the senator-judges formally begin the proceedings next month.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/18/gatchalian-jinggoy-s-suspension-means-he-can-t-be-judge-in-vp-trial-1145">Gatchalian: Jinggoy Estrada&#x27;s suspension covers role as judge in Duterte impeachment trial</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9EE_Dc4CI-8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Only 19% of Filipinos adults believe that most senator-judges will decide based on evidence and the law rather than political considerations in whether to convict or acquit Vice President Sara Duterte in the upcoming impeachment trial, a survey by OCTA Research suggested.</p>

Only 19% of Filipinos adults believe that most senator-judges will decide based on evidence and the law rather than political considerations in whether to convict or acquit Vice President Sara Duterte in the upcoming impeachment trial, a survey by OCTA Research suggested.

OCTA: Fewer than 2 in 10 believe Duterte impeachment will be decided on evidence

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OCTA: Fewer than 2 in 10 believe Duterte impeachment will be decided on evidence

ABS-CBN News

Published June 18, 2026 12:30 PM PHT

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Updated June 18, 2026 12:50 PM PHT

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OCTA

Sara Duterte

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