VP trial should proceed despite polls

THE SENATE must proceed with Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s ouster trial despite a public opinion poll saying that nearly half of Filipinos disagreed with her impeachment, a lawmaker said on Wednesday.

Pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS) on Tuesday reported that 42% of Filipinos disagreed with the impeachment complaint against Ms. Duterte, 32% agreed, while about 18% were undecided. The remaining 7% said they were not knowledgeable on the matter, it said in a statement on its website.

“Regardless of the result of the survey, we have a constitutional duty that we must face,” Batangas Rep. Gerville R. Luistro told reporters in mixed English and Filipino, based on a statement released by the House of Representatives. “There is nothing more supreme than the Philippine Constitution, because it is the mandate of the people.”

Congressmen overwhelmingly voted to impeach Ms. Duterte in February over accusations ranging from budget anomalies to plotting the assassination of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. his wife and the House Speaker. She has denied any wrongdoing.

Ms. Luistro, a member of the House prosecution team for the impeachment trial, said the Vice-President should be tried by the impeachment court despite the SWS survey results as the 1987 Constitution mandates it.

She also pushed back against accusations that Ms. Duterte’s impeachment is political persecution.

“If there’s no evidence, that’s political prosecution. But if there is evidence, then that’s legitimate prosecution,” Ms. Luistro said. “As far as we are concerned, we have ample and strong evidence supporting the seven Articles of Impeachment.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio