The Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte could significantly shape public perception of all major figures involved, including Duterte, senator-judges, her allies and members of the House prosecution team, a political analyst said.
Cleve Arguelles, president of WR Numero and a political scientist who studies public sentiment on political issues, said the proceedings are expected to influence how voters assess the judgment, credibility and performance of those taking part in the trial.
“I think malaki po yung magiging epekto ng impeachment trial,” Arguelles said. “There’s a lot of uncertainties but definitely lahat po yung involved na participants, from the VP herself, to the allies of the VP, majority/minority senator-judges and the prosecution team itself, lahat po iyon magkakaroon ng panibagong public perception ‘yung mga kababayan natin.”
Arguelles said the impact will not be limited to Duterte’s political standing, as both the House prosecution team and senator-judges will also be closely watched by the public.
He said their conduct during the proceedings, especially in handling evidence and fulfilling their constitutional roles, could affect their popularity and public support.
“Doon naman sa ibang players, I think we have a good understanding na for both the House prosecutors and the senator-judges kung paano po nila ipe-perform ‘yung role nila sa impeachment court ay may effect po sa kanilang popularity and public support,” Arguelles said.
He cited previous impeachment trials as examples of how public opinion can turn against senator-judges perceived as protecting political allies despite the evidence presented.
He pointed to the impeachment trial of then-President Joseph Estrada in 2000 and 2001, which became a defining political crisis after public anger grew over blocked evidence. The controversy helped trigger events that led to Estrada’s ouster.
He said some lawmakers faced political risks in later elections because voters disapproved of their performance as senator-judges.
“May mga nanganib sa sumunod na eleksyon dahil po doon sa hindi nagustuhan ng publiko ‘yung kanilang performance bilang senator-judges,” the analyst said.
At the same time, he said impeachment proceedings can raise the national profile of lawmakers who perform well, particularly House prosecutors who are tasked with presenting evidence and explaining the case before the public.
“Meron din naman House prosecutors na nagkaroon ng national profile, national public support dahil doon sa kanilang performance,” he said.
Arguelles said the Duterte impeachment trial is likely to become a broad test not only of the allegations against the Vice President, but also of how political institutions handle accountability under intense public scrutiny.