Bribery has emerged as the most serious impeachment allegation in the public’s view against Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a nationwide survey conducted by OCTA Research.
Results of the research group’s July 2026 Tugon ng Masa survey showed that 43% of adult Filipinos identified bribery as the leading concern among the allegations, well ahead of the misuse of confidential funds, which was cited by 28% of respondents.
The findings suggest that Filipinos distinguish among the charges in the impeachment complaint rather than treating them as a single issue, with respondents assigning varying levels of seriousness to each allegation.
“Public opinion on impeachment is more nuanced than a simple measure of support for or opposition to the constitutional process,” OCTA Research said, noting that respondents evaluate allegations based on their perceived gravity.
While bribery ranked first nationwide, misuse of confidential funds remained the top concern in several regions, indicating geographic variation in public priorities.
The survey also found that bribery was the leading concern across major demographic groups, including age, gender, residence and socioeconomic class, pointing to broad agreement on its relative seriousness.
OCTA said these variations across regions and sectors suggest that public perceptions are shaped by local political contexts and differing information environments, rather than a single national narrative.
The survey was conducted from July 4 to 11, 2026, using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 probability-selected adult Filipinos aged 18 and above. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points at the national level and plus or minus 6 percentage points for subnational estimates, at a 95% confidence level.
The research group said the results provide a baseline of how Filipinos view the allegations in the impeachment complaint but should not be taken as a judgment on the legal merits of the case or its eventual outcome.
OCTA added that bribery’s prominence reflects the continued salience of corruption-related issues among Filipinos, consistent with earlier surveys showing corruption as a major national concern.
The findings come as impeachment proceedings against Duterte continue, with multiple allegations under review by the Senate sitting as an impeachment court.
