Poll favoring defense team done before VP financial evidence shown

MANILA, Philippines — A recent survey showing more Filipinos favoring Vice President Sara Duterte’s defense team for the impeachment trial rather than the prosecution panel was conducted before financial evidence against her was revealed, Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong stressed on Thursday.

In a press briefing, Alonto Adiong said this is the reason why surveys should only be a guide and not considered as gospel truth, because the respondents’ perceptions may change.

The survey from Social Weather Stations (SWS), which was released on Wednesday, showed that 47 percent of Filipinos were satisfied with Duterte’s lawyers, while only 24 percent were dissatisfied.

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Meanwhile, only 30 percent were happy with the prosecution, and 35 percent were displeased.

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The SWS survey was conducted from Sept. 21 to 27 — just a few days after the first witnesses for Article II were presented.

“Well, exactly my point… Surveys can change… We should not take that as some biblical truth because we cannot maintain the same responses from the public,” Alonto Adiong, spokesperson for the prosecution panel, told reporters in a mix of English and Filipino.

“And that’s a good point, we saw the public engagement when Attorney [Alexander] Cabera appeared. Maybe in the next survey, there will be a different result. That’s exactly my point,” he added.

READ: More Filipinos favor VP’s defense team in Senate trial – survey

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Alonto Adiong was referring to Cabrera, a financial forensic expert who was presented by the prosecution as a witness last Oct. 9.

Cabrera testified that Duterte failed to declare at least P817.8 million worth of wealth in her statement of assetsk liabilities, and net worth (SALN) from 2022 to 2025.

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According to the witness, they were able to arrive at this number by matching the declared cash assets in Duterte’s SALN with the year-end balances of the bank accounts under Duterte, her husband, Manases Carpio, and other joint bank accounts with her.

READ: VP Duterte’s total unexplained wealth at P817.87M – witness’ report

Alonto Adiong believes the survey numbers will change due to the strength of Cabrera’s testimony.

“For me, I’m optimistic. I’m positive that, because of Attorney Cabrera’s explanation, the people will be enlightened because as I said before, the unexplained wealth — the reason why we have to vigorously explain it to the people — because this is the most technical aspect of the impeachment articles,” he said.

It was also during Cabrera’s testimony that Duterte’s alleged huge credit card expenses were revealed.

Cabrera then said that among Duterte’s “unusual banking behavior” were meals at Ginza Inakaya Tokyo in Japan worth P200,007.29 with a transaction date of March 19, 2025; and two transactions on Dec. 27, 2025 with the Nike store in a Davao City mall worth P93,750.00 and P205,392.00.

At Don Quijote, a discount store chain in Japan offering a variety of items — from Japanese-made toiletries, toys, gadgets, souvenirs, and even food products — there were two transactions in Shibuya worth P62,900.95 and P65,877.64 made on Dec. 8, 2025.

The other Don Quijote outlet that Duterte transacted with is in Aichi Prefecture, specifically in Naka-ward. The transaction on July 20, 2025, was worth P111,109.24.

Later on, Carpio claimed that the transactions were his, and that Duterte had nothing to do with it.

READ: From Donki to Nike: Analyst says VP had ‘unusual’ purchases in 2025

Other key witnesses also testified after the SWS survey was conducted.

Last Oct. 5, Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) Executive Director Ronel Buenaventura confirmed former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV’s allegations that Carpio’s company, Cale88 Foods Corp., received P319 million worth of funds from China.

Trillanes was scheduled to appear as a prosecution witness, but he withdrew to supposedly relieve the prosecution panel of pressure. Instead, the former senator presented what would have been testimony during a press conference in San Juan on Oct. 2.

One of the items Trillanes discussed was the alleged P319 million that went into Cale88 — despite having a paid-up capital of P125,000 from 2021 to 2025, having low electricity costs, and having no rank-and-file employees.

Trillanes said that the P319 million was sent by Chinese firms in tranches, from 2023 to 2025.

READ: Trillanes links P319M China funds to firm of Sara Duterte’s husband

Prosecutors have refused to comment on the strength of their evidence against Duterte so as not to violate the sub judice rule, but their spokespersons have expressed confidence in the case that they built.

Alonto Adiong’s fellow spokesperson, former Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, said that while dropping three out of four articles of impeachment is a huge risk — as the entire case would now rely on the strength of Article II — the fact that they did it shows how confident they are.

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On Tuesday, Barbers said he thinks Duterte was checkmated as the evidence presented against her is hard to debunk or dispute. /atm