Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has not caused the kind of decline in her public numbers seen during former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada’s 2000 impeachment trial, PGMN anchors Regal Oliva and Cj Hirro discussed in the first episode of “The Peanut Gallery Podcast,” which has gone viral across PGMN’s channels. Watch the episode here: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DuyTabodq/
During the episode, which has surpassed 1 million combined views on YouTube and Facebook, Oliva compared Duterte’s political standing with Estrada’s experience during his impeachment proceedings.
“During the hearing of President Erap Estrada, his numbers were declining. It was really going down, spiraling down… But VP Sara Duterte’s numbers are getting up,” Oliva said.
Historical data from Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed Estrada’s net satisfaction rating dropping from +19 in September 2000 to +9 in December, a 10-point decline. His rating had previously peaked at +67 in March 1999, representing a 58-point drop from that earlier high.
Duterte, meanwhile, continues to enjoy majority trust despite the impeachment proceedings. Pulse Asia’s September 2026 survey recorded her trust rating at a high 55%, while her approval rating stood at 54%. A separate SWS survey found that 56% of respondents expressed much trust in Duterte, compared with 57% in June.
Oliva also drew a distinction between the allegations involved in the two impeachment controversies. Hirro noted that while Duterte’s impeachment case centers on alleged unexplained wealth, it has not generated the same negative perception as Estrada’s impeachment over allegations involving jueteng money.
“During Erap’s time, he was accused of plunder, for jueteng money, for receiving illegal funds from illegal activities,” Oliva said.
Hirro said Duterte’s supporters are unlikely to abandon her despite the allegations raised during the impeachment proceedings.
“Even if they get to, like, the most controversial ones, I think they’re not gonna sway the Duterte base anymore. That’s solid already. This is just political survival,” Hirro said.
“(With Sara’s case), we are talking about the money of the people. Unlike during Erap’s time, it was money from jueteng. It’s not even people’s money, but the impact is so different.”
