78% of Pinoys satisfied with drug war – SWS

But tambays’ arrest opposed

MANILA, Philippines — Despite worldwide criticism, a majority of Filipinos remained satisfied with the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs, according to the second quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

On the other hand, the same survey also showed that 60 percent of Filipinos considered the arrest of loiterers or tambays a human rights violation.

Taken from June 27 to 30, the poll found 78 percent of adult Filipinos saying they were satisfied with the government’s war on drugs, while 13 percent were dissatisfied, for a net satisfaction score of +65, classified by the SWS as “very good.”

This was a point higher than the “very good” +64 (75 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) registered in March 2018, the pollster said.

The survey showed that satisfaction with the government’s campaign against illegal drugs increased in all areas except in the Visayas.

It was “excellent” in Mindanao, President Duterte’s bailiwick, at +84 (89 percent satisfied, five dissatisfied) in June,
up by three points from +81 (87 percent satisfied, six percent dissatisfied) in March.

It increased by two points in Metro Manila, from a very good +65 (78 percent satisfied, 13 percent dissatisfied) in March to +67 (79 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) in June.

Satisfaction with the administration’s drug war also went up in balance Luzon from the very good +53 (67 percent satisfied, 15 percent dissatisfied) in March, to +58 (74 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in June.

However, it fell by 12 points in the Visayas, from a very good +69 (79 percent satisfied, nine percent dissatisfied) in March to +57 (74 percent satisfied, 16 percent dissatisfied) in June.

The SWS classifies net satisfaction ratings as follows: +70 and above, excellent; +50 to +69, very good; +30 to +49, good; +10 to +29, moderate; +9 to –9, neutral; –10 to –29, poor; –30 to –49, bad; –50 to –69, very bad; –70 and below, execrable.

SWS noted that satisfaction with the administration’s campaign against illegal drugs was at an excellent +76 when it was first surveyed in September 2016. It was highest in December 2017 at an excellent +77.

However, it has been at the very good territory, +63 to +66 range, since March 2017, reaching its lowest rating of +63 in September 2017.

The SWS survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide—300 each in Metro Manila, balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

It has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages, and plus or minus six percentage points for area percentages.

Duterte on Friday slammed anew the International Criminal Court (ICC) for wanting to investigate his bloody war on drugs. In March, the President unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.

More than 4,000 people were killed in the anti-illegal drug operations based on latest report from the Philippine National Police.

Meanwhile, six in 10 Filipinos believe President Duterte’s order to arrest “tambays” or loiterers violates their rights, the SWS’ second quarter survey showed.

Of the 1,200 adult Filipinos surveyed, 60 percent agreed that “police arresting idlers or ‘tambays’ is a violation of their human rights” while 26 percent disagreed and 14 percent were undecided.

The poll was also conducted from June 27 to 30 using face-to-face interviews.

In June, the President directed the police to strictly enforce city laws, especially against loiterers, whom he described as “potential trouble for the public.”

Opinion that the government’s “Oplan Tambay” is a violation of human rights was stronger in Mindanao, Duterte’s home region, according to the SWS.

Sixty-five percent of Mindanaoans agreed that the arrest of idlers or ‘tambays’ is a violation of their human rights, while 17 percent disagreed.

In the Visayas, 61 percent agreed and 29 percent disagreed with the statement.

Sixty-one percent of Metro Manila residents expressed the belief that the arrest was a violation of human rights against 30 percent who said otherwise.

About six in 10 or 57 percent in balance Luzon also agreed that it was a violation of human rights against 27 percent who expressed disagreement.

Based on reports, around 177,000 people were arrested for disobeying local ordinances in Metro Manila between June 13 and Aug. 26.

The anti-tambay campaign drew criticism following the death of Genesis Argoncillo inside a jail in Quezon City. Argoncillo was arrested for violating a law in the city.

Malacañang welcomed the results of the poll, saying these reflected the “broad support” for the crackdown against narcotics.

“This is a testament that the drug war continues to enjoy the broad support of our people, notwithstanding the efforts of the detractors and critics of the administration to politicize the issue or discredit the campaign’s success,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

“Filipinos aspire for a crime-free society which can be realized by stopping the spread of criminality and fighting the scourge of drugs,” he added.

With regard to the poll suggesting that three in five Filipinos believe the arrest of idlers violates human rights, Roque maintained that the arrests are not directed against loitering itself.

“The matter has already been clarified when the President had said that he did not order the arrest of tambays for loitering, per se, is not a crime. Authorities then issued guidelines that they would not bring to the police station those without violations,” Roque said. – With Alexis Romero, Non Alquitran