A survey indicates that most Filipinos want Vice President Sara Duterte to personally explain allegations of unexplained wealth, Manila Bulletin reports. The results are being read as public pressure on the Vice President to address the accusations herself rather than through her legal team.
Coverage of the survey varied across Philippine outlets. Inquirer.net reported that the prosecution said 70 percent want an explanation from Duterte, while the Daily Tribune characterized the findings as eight in ten Filipinos telling her to testify. BusinessWorld Online, however, reported that the same survey found more respondents satisfied with the Vice President's defense team than with the House prosecution.
The impeachment court's spokesperson said it will decide based on evidence amid the survey findings, according to ABS-CBN. That statement places the survey results outside the court's stated basis for judgment.
The figures come as Duterte faces proceedings tied to the wealth allegations. The survey does not itself carry legal weight, but the reporting frames it as a signal of public sentiment surrounding the case.
What to watch next: whether the Vice President responds personally to the calls for an explanation, and how the impeachment court proceeds as the survey debate continues.