Half of Filipinos want Duterte prosecuted, but support declines in VisMin – SWS
MANILA, Philippines — Public support for holding former President Rodrigo Duterte accountable for drug war killings remains around 50% months after his arrest, but push for accountability has sharply dropped in Visayas and Mindanao, a new survey shows.
A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted September 24 to 30 and commissioned by the Stratbase Group, found that half of Filipinos (50%) agree Duterte should face accountability for the thousands of deaths recorded during his anti-drug campaign.
That figure is nearly identical to the 51% recorded in the same survey in February, weeks before the issuance of an arrest warrant for Duterte and his subsequent transfer to the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Duterte has yet to be subjected to a full trial pending the ICC's decision on his fitness to stand trial. He is facing charges of crimes against humanity tied to the violent anti-illegal drugs campaign he waged as president, and earlier, as Davao City mayor.
Detailed breakdown
Hardening opposition
The new survey released Monday, October 13, shows that nationwide opposition against holding Duterte accountable for drug war deaths has risen from 25% in February to 32% in September.
This is a seven-point jump, and a closer look at the data shows this increase was driven by hardening dissent among people in Visayas and Mindanao.
Support for accountability slipped most in Visayas, dropping eight points from 62% in February to 54% in September; and in Mindanao, Duterte’s home region, where it fell from 47% to 39%.
By contrast, support rose in Metro Manila — from 45% to 53% — and in Balance Luzon, from 49% to 52%.
Another large shift came among those who "strongly disagree" that Duterte should be held accountable — rising from 16% in February to 22% in September, a six-point jump that suggests his detention may have galvanized core supporters.
The survey conducted on the last week of September interviewed 1,500 adult Filipinos with a margin of error of ±3%.
Older Filipinos back accountability most
Support for holding Duterte accountable was strongest among Filipinos aged 55 and above, with 62% agreeing he should answer for the killings, according to the latest survey.
Opposition to holding Duterte accountable was highest among the 25-34 age group (43%).
Across economic classes, 54% of class ABC backed accountability, followed by 50% of class D and 45% of class E.
ICC denies release amid health claims
The September survey was conducted during a pivotal moment in Duterte's ICC case. Weeks before polling began, the ICC postponed his confirmation of charges hearing — originally set for September 23 — after his lawyers claimed he was suffering from cognitive impairment and was unfit to stand trial. The court has yet to rule on this, but ICC prosecutors are pushing for a panel of independent experts to assess Duterte.
In a decision on September 26 but released last week, ICC judges rejected Duterte's request for temporary release — a motion that his defense had justified by saying, among others, that the aging 80-year-old poses no credible threat to drug war victims testifying against him.
The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I ruled that Duterte's detention remains necessary to ensure his appearance for trial, to prevent witness intimidation, and to prevent the potential continuation of crimes.
Duterte's anti-drug campaign, which he launched as a centerpiece of his 2016-2022 presidency and earlier implemented in Davao City starting in 2011, resulted in thousands of deaths, including innocent civilians.
Official government figures put the death toll at around 6,000, but human rights groups estimate at least 20,000 to 30,000 people were killed in police operations and vigilante-style executions.
The confirmation of charges hearing — which will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to a full trial — has been postponed indefinitely pending resolution of the fitness question.
- Latest
- Trending
