Filipinos almost equally divided on killing of drug suspects, says SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Four in 10 Filipinos disagree that killing people using or involved in illegal drug trade is right, according to a survey by Social Weather Stations, although an almost equal number of individuals agree with their liquidation.

The September 2017 survey of the polling agency showed that 42 percent disagreed (23 percent strongly disagree, 19 percent somewhat disagree) that killing persons who used drugs or were involved in the illegal drug trade was right.

On the other hand, 39 percent (20 percent strongly agree, 19 percent somewhat agree) think that their killing is correct while 18 percent are undecided.

"Net agreement that it is right that persons who use drugs or are involved in the illegal drug trade are killed was neutral in all areas: it was +3 (41% agree, 38% disagree) in Mindanao, net zero (40% agree, 40% disagree) in the Visayas, -1 (44% agree, 45% disagree) in Metro Manila, and -8 (37% agree, 45% disagree) in Balance Luzon," the agency disclosed.

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SWS said that net satisfaction with the national government's campaign against illegal drugs, with President Rodrigo Duterte and with the overall national administration tended to be lower among those who disagreed that killing drug users or suspects was correct compared to those who agreed to or undecided on this.

Duterte's brutal campaign against illegal drugs, which was launched last year upon his assumption of the presidency, has been widely criticized by local and international groups. They claim that the anti-drug program has killed thousands of drug suspects. The government has disputed this and said that many of those killed in police operations offered violent resistance.

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The polling firm also found that 51 percent believed that people using or were involved in the sale of illegal drugs could still change.

On the other hand, 28 percent of those they surveyed thought they were already incorrigible while 20 percent were undecided.

Five in 10 Filipinos in Mindanao think that drug users and peddlers can still change while only 22 percent think that they can't.

In Metro Manila, 56 percent say that there is still hope for users and peddlers of illegal drugs to change while 30 percent say otherwise.

Fifty three percent of those polled in Balance Luzon believe that drug users and peddlers can still change while 28 percent think they can't.

The highest number of people who believe that users and sellers of drugs can't change anymore is found in the Visayas, with 35 percent thinking that they are incorrigible while 43 percent think in the contrary.

Three in five Filipinos also disagreed with the giving of cash to policemen for every drug suspect they killed, according to SWS.

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According to the polling firm, 65 percent of Filipinos said that it was not right for policemen to be given cash rewards for killing drug users and peddlers while only 15 percent said that this was acceptable.

"Net agreement that it is right for policemen to be given cash rewards for every suspected drug user/drug pusher they kill was lowest in Metro Manila, at an extremely weak -58 (15% agree, 73% disagree), and Balance Luzon, also an extremely weak -58 (12% agree, 69% disagree, correctly rounded)," the polling agency said.

"This is followed by Visayas at a very weak -40 (19% agree, 59% disagree), and Mindanao at a very weak -39 (17% agree, 56% disagree)," it added.

The net satisfaction of the president and the national government tends to be lower among people who think that cops should not be rewarded for killing drug suspects, SWS said.

"Public satisfaction with the national administration's campaign against illegal drugs hardly varied by people's agreement or disagreement that it is right for policemen to be given cash rewards for every suspected drug user/drug pusher they kill," it said.

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The September 2017 SWS survey was conducted from Sept. 23 to 27, 2017 using face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults nationwide. Six hundred people were polled in Balance Luzon while 300 each were surveyed in Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The sample error for national percentages was + 3 percent while that for Balance Luzon is + 4 percent. The sampling error for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao was + 3 percent.