The House prosecution panel said Vice President Sara Duterte’s improved public satisfaction rating in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey will have no bearing on the outcome of her ongoing impeachment trial, emphasizing that the case will be decided based on evidence rather than popularity.
House prosecution spokesperson Ace Barbers made the statement after the Second Quarter 2026 SWS survey showed Duterte posting a good +31 net satisfaction rating, the highest among the country’s top government officials included in the poll.
Barbers stressed that impeachment is a constitutional process in which senators sitting as judges are expected to weigh the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defense.
He said public opinion surveys do not determine guilt or innocence, adding that the proceedings should be judged on the strength of the evidence presented before the Senate impeachment court.
Barbers also described impeachment as a meticulous legal process that allows both sides to fully present their respective cases, enabling the public to better understand the issues and draw their own conclusions.
The nationwide survey, conducted from June 20 to 29 through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult respondents, showed Duterte’s net satisfaction rating rising by two points, from +29 in March to +31 in June.
Duterte led the other top government officials included in the survey. The reference to “Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian” should be verified, as Sherwin Gatchalian is not the Senate President. The survey also showed Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo with a +10 (moderate) net satisfaction rating, while Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III registered +8 (neutral).
The vice president continued to receive her strongest support in Mindanao, where she posted an excellent +84 net satisfaction rating. She also recorded +36 (good) in the Visayas, +10 (moderate) in Balance Luzon, and +3 (neutral) in Metro Manila.
The survey likewise showed Duterte’s rating among women improving from +28 to +33, while her rating among men remained unchanged at +29. By age group, her ratings increased among respondents aged 18 to 24 and 35 to 44, while remaining generally positive across the other age groups.
According to SWS, the survey was conducted on its own initiative as part of its public service. It has a ±3% margin of error for national estimates and ±6% for area estimates.
