SWS: Majority of Filipinos believe Duterte’s VP candidacy violates Constitution

Sixty percent of Filipinos believe that President Rodrigo Duterte’s vice-presidential bid “violates the intention of the Constitution,” while only 39% percent support his campaign, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The SWS survey, which was conducted from June 23 to 26, showed that some 60% of the respondents believe that Duterte’s VP bid in the 2022 elections is against the Constitution, “which should first be amended before he may run for office again.”

On the other hand, only 39% of the respondents say Duterte should run for VP since they “would like his management of the government to continue.” The remaining 1% did not answer, the poll body said. 

The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults Filipinos nationwide. It reported error margins of ±3% for national percentages and ±6% for regional percentages. 

Duterte’s VP bid violates ‘intention of Constitution’

Results of the survey found that those who said Duterte’s candidacy violates the Constitution are highest in Balance Luzon at 65%, followed by Visayas at 59%, Metro Manila at 56%, and Mindanao at 53%

In terms of educational levels, 67% among non-elementary graduates share this view, 70% among elementary graduates, 52% among junior high school graduates, and 61% among college graduates.

The majority of the respondents who either view themselves as rich are poor are also opposed to Duterte’s VP bid.

According to SWS, the highest percentage of Filipino adults who believe this way was found among those who think they are not poor (64%), followed by “borderline poor” at 61%, and by those who rate themselves as poor at 58%.

Those who reject Duterte’s vice presidential bid in 2022 were highest among those “very dissatisfied with his performance as President (88%), followed by those “somewhat dissatisfied” (83%), undecided (81%), somewhat satisfied (62%), and “very satisfied” (42%).

On the other hand, those who favor Duterte’s VP candidacy were highest among those “very satisfied” with his performance (58%), followed by undecided (19%), “somewhat dissatisfied” (17%), and “very dissatisfied” (12%). 

Earlier in August, Duterte accepted the nomination of one of the two rival factions of the political party PDP-Laban to run as vice president in the 2022 national elections.