Vast majority of Filipinos still support war on drugs despite criticisms

Malacañang on Wednesday said the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in March showed that a great majority of Filipinos still continue to appreciate the efforts of the government in curbing illegal drugs despite getting a lot of flak from local and foreign critics. (Photo: Gert Mewes/Flickr)

MANILA—Malacañang on Wednesday said the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in March showed that a great majority of Filipinos still continue to appreciate the efforts of the government in curbing illegal drugs despite getting a lot of flak from local and foreign critics.

“Seventy-eight percent, a great majority of Filipinos, expressed satisfaction in the government’s performance, notwithstanding the negative criticisms we received here and abroad,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“Filipinos understand and support the campaign against hard drug traffickers and violators. Many Filipinos are less worried about their personal safety as they feel safe and secure in the streets and at home,” Abella said.

The SWS survey held March 25 to 28 showed 78 percent of the respondents were satisfied with the administration’s performance in its campaign against illegal drugs, 10 percent were undecided, while 12 percent were dissatisfied.

This gives a net satisfaction rating of +66, classified by SWS as very good.

However, this is an 11-point decline, and one grade down, from the excellent +77.

But Abella said the drop is understandable pointing out that the survey was taken during a time when the administration was being cast in a bad light by President Rodrigo Duterte’s fiercest critics.

Among the issues facing President Duterte at the time included the filing of an impeachment complaint against him last March 16; the Senate appearance of a self-confessed but perjured assassin; human rights reports highly critical of the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drug traffickers and violators; and the internationally aired video message of Robredo among others.

But despite all these, Abella said it is quite notable that majority of Filipinos still trust the government.

“We note that the public (at 70 percent) believes the current administration is serious about solving the problem of so-called ‘extrajudicial killings’ (EJKs) and its efforts to cleanse the Philippine National Police (PNP) of scalawags,” he said.

The Palace official added that the government would not stop the war against illegal drugs until the whole drug apparatus is destroyed.

“The drive will be relentless until the drug apparatus is rendered inutile. After all what is at stake is the national patrimony, the following generations of Filipinos, who will not only continue our dreams, be our God given social safety net, but also preserve our cultures, our gift to the world,” Abella said.