Impeachment trial: Prosecution bets evidence will outweigh Sara Duterte's popularity

The House prosecution panel in the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte said Friday that the evidence it will present will eventually outweigh her popularity ratings. Prosecutors made the statement following the latest OCTA Research poll, which showed Duterte remains the most preferred presidential bet for the 2028 elections, ahead of former vice president Leni Robredo, who posted a 34% rating. Private prosecutor Benjamin Tolosa Jr. said the genuine sentiment of the people is best measured after the impeachment trial is over when the presentation of evidence is already done. "Popularity is not a license to escape accountability. It is better to gauge public opinion after all evidence has been presented. That is the proper time to ask them," Tolosa said in an online press conference. "We are confident of our evidence and we trust that after the trial is over, they will be able to see the truth." The impeachment trial has been held for 13 days, with hearings conducted regarding Duterte's alleged grave threats against President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., and her alleged misuse of confidential funds in the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Office of the Vice President (OVP). OCTA Research's July 2026 Tugon ng Masa survey was conducted from July 4 to 11, 2026. Only the first three days of the Senate impeachment trial were held during this period. The same survey found that although Duterte remains the preferred choice over Robredo in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup for the 2028 presidential elections, the incumbent Vice President's lead has narrowed compared to the first quarter of 2026. House prosecution panel adviser and former Surigao del Norte representative Robert Ace Barbers said popularity is a non-factor before an impeachment trial. "Before the impeachment trial, our elected officials, whether they got 100 million or one million votes, are not exempted from accountability. The popularity will not in any way affect nor influence, or get in the way of the trial," Barbers said. "We have to focus on the evidence." House trial spokesperson Representative Renee Co of the Kabataan Party-list agreed that popularity ratings will not get in the way of finding out the truth in the impeachment proceedings. "Popularity does not factor in our fight for justice." Information Source: GMA News Philippines