A House leader said Vice President Sara Duterte’s trust ratings could decline further due to unresolved corruption allegations and her absence from impeachment hearings.
House Deputy Speaker Paolo Ortega V expressed concern that pending issues involving alleged corruption have remained unanswered for years, which he said may affect public confidence in the vice president.
According to Ortega, the unresolved allegations have remained in the public mind, creating the perception that the vice president has yet to provide clear explanations on the accusations.
He questioned how a vice president who is being considered as a potential presidential candidate in 2028 could gain public trust if corruption-related issues remain unaddressed.
Ortega cited results from the Ulat ng Bayan survey conducted by Pulse Asia, which showed that more than half, or 51.5 percent, of respondents who said they did not trust Duterte attributed their lack of trust to alleged involvement in corruption.
He noted that the survey was conducted before Duterte declined the invitation of the House Committee on Justice to attend impeachment hearings. It was also conducted before several lawyers filed petitions before the Supreme Court.
Ortega added that public awareness of the allegations may be difficult to erase, and even if Duterte provides explanations during a possible Senate trial, it could already be too late to influence public perception.
The same survey also identified other reasons cited by respondents for their lack of trust in Duterte. These included alleged threats against the administration, the use of offensive language, perceived lack of capability, and frequent travel abroad.
