Many Filipinos see drop in number of drug users in their area — SWS

In urban areas, on the other hand, 63 percent believe that there are fewer illegal drug users, while 23 percent said otherwise and nine percent think it remained the same. (File Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Saturday, February 16, revealed that most Filipinos believe that there are fewer drug users in their area over the past year.

According to the Fourth Quarter 2018 Social Weather Survey, 66 percent of adult Filipinos said the number of drug addicts in their area has “decreased,” while 14 percent said it has “increased” and seven percent said it has “remained the same.”

The pollster said those who believe that there are less drug addicts last year was “highest” in Mindanao with 83 percent. It was followed by Visayas with 71 percent, Metro Manila with 67 percent, and Balance Luzon with 54 percent.

By locale, it added that 68 percent of those who said the number of drug addicts decreased is in rural areas, while nine percent said it increased and the remaining six percent said it stayed the same. In urban areas, on the other hand, 63 percent believe that there are fewer illegal drug users, while 23 percent said otherwise and nine percent said it remained the same.

The latest survey also showed that the majority of their survey respondents think it is “important” for them that illegal drug suspects will be captured alive by authorities.

“This is similar to 95% (76% very important, 19% somewhat important) when the question was first surveyed in June 2018,” the SWS stressed.

Most of those who said it is necessary for them that drug suspects will be arrested alive are in Metro Manila and Visayas with 97 percent, Mindanao came second with 96 percent, and Balance Luzon with 92 percent.

Meanwhile, 87 percent of Filipinos also believe it is “important” for the police that they nab illegal drug users alive.

This is a point higher than the 86 percent recorded in June 2018, the SWS noted.

The recent survey was done from December 16 to 19, 2019 using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults nationwide; 360 each in Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

President Rodrigo Duterte launched his war on drugs as he took the presidency in 2016. Since then, he has been earning criticisms from several government officials and various organizations, especially from local and international rights groups, due to the thousands of deaths linked to his anti-illegal drug campaign.

In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July 2018, the Chief Executive said his anti-narcotics drive is “far from over” and that it will be as “relentless” and “chilling” as the day it started.