The war on drugs

Majority of Filipinos are satisfied with this administration’s war on drugs.

The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted Sept. 24-27 via face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide, showed that 84 percent of Filipinos are satisfied with the anti-drug campaign (54 percent are very satisfied and 30 percent somewhat satisfied).

The figures translate to an “excellent” net satisfaction rating of +76 (pct satisfied minus pct dissatisfied).

The support for the President’s anti-drug campaign cuts across areas and social classes. Respondents in Mindanao, gave the anti-drug campaign +87 (90 percent satisfied, three percent dissatisfied), followed by Metro Manila’s +78 (87 percent satisfied, nine percent dissatisfied). Visayas scored +76 (85 percent satisfied, 10 percent dissatisfied) and the rest of Luzon, +71 (80 percent satisfied, nine percent dissatisfied).

By socioeconomic class, 86 percent of those in class E were satisfied, while the ABC classes registered an 84 percent satisfaction rating. Among those in class D, 84 percent were satisfied.

A total of 71 percent said it is “very important” that suspects involved in illegal drugs be caught alive while 23 percent believe it is “somewhat important.” Only five percent said it is “somewhat not important” and two percent are of the opinion that it is “not important at all.”

Meanwhile, 83 percent of survey respondents said the administration’s intensified war against illegal drugs “does not discriminate by class.”

Experts say the survey result are consistent with President Duterte’s net satisfaction rating of 64 percent in his first three months in office.

The President’s task is indeed daunting and his impatience with people and groups who accuse him of condoning extrajudicial killings is understandable. The war on illegal drugs is a worldwide problem and the international community should even praise Duterte for taking on a fight other leaders before him dared not take on.