Despite worldwide criticism, a majority of the Philippine people remained satisfied with the campaign against illegal drugs initiated by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, according to the second-quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The Philstar newspaper on September 24 quoted the result of SWS’s survey, saying that 78 percent of adult Filipinos said they were satisfied with the government’s war on drugs, while 13 percent were dissatisfied.
This was a point higher than the “very good” 64 (75 percent satisfied, 12 percent dissatisfied) registered in March, 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 - the bailiwick of President Duterte - with 87 percent of respondents saying that they were satisfied, and six percent were dissatisfied.
The SWS survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide.
Launched two years ago, the war on drugs that President Duterte launched so far has helped wipe out many kinds of dangerous drugs raging in Manila and many other areas.
Thanks to the aggressive crackdown on crimes, thousands of drug traffickers have been jailed, millions of drug addicts have registered for treatment.
Philippine police have killed more than 4,500 drug traffickers and drug users since President Duterte came to power in July 2016.
Opinion polls show that most of the Philippine people support Duterte's anti-drug campaign, but many are concerned about the way it is done.
VNA
