Palace welcomes survey saying 82% of Pinoys feel safer

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is hopeful that the government’s anti-drug war will gain the support of all sectors, including the clergy, following the release of a survey stating that 82 percent of Metro Manila residents feel safer in the streets due to the crackdown on narcotics.

A Pulse Asia survey conducted from Dec. 6 to 11 showed that 82 percent of people living in Metro Manila feel safer in the streets because of the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

The survey, the results of which were shared by the National Capital Region Police Office last Friday, randomly selected 500 respondents who were asked whether they feel less in danger now because of the anti-drug efforts.

Malacañang welcomed the results of the survey, saying it would motivate the government to further pursue its campaign against illegal drugs.  

“The administration’s drug war is well-received by the people on the ground, in sharp contrast to the gloom and hopelessness depicted by the President’s critics,” presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement over the weekend.

“This favorable public sentiment gives us strong impetus to surge ahead in our anti-drug campaign and hope that we continually get the cooperation of the community, and even support of the clergy, especially in the implementation of a rehabilitation program for Tokhang surrenderees,” he added, referring to Oplan Tokhang or the police operations against drug suspects.

The government has launched an intensified campaign against illegal drugs, which according to President Duterte have contaminated four million Filipinos.

More than 8,000 suspected drug offenders have now been killed since Duterte assumed office last year, worrying the Catholic Church and human rights advocates who fear the crackdown is encouraging extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses.