June 23-26, 2017 Social Weather Survey: 3 out of 5 Filipinos agree that only poor drug pushers are killed

The Second Quarter 2017 Social Weather Survey, fielded on June 23-26, 2017, found that 60% agreed (33% strongly agree, 27% somewhat agree) with the statement: “Hindi pinapatay ang mga mayayaman na drug pusher; ang mga pinapatay ay ang mahihirap lamang [Rich drug pushers are not killed; only the poor ones are killed].” Twenty-three percent disagreed (12% somewhat disagree, 11% strongly disagree) and 17% were undecided [Chart 1].

The highest proportion of those who agreed that only poor drug pushers were killed came from Metro Manila, with 75% (48% strongly agree, 27% somewhat agree) agreeing. This is followed by Mindanao with 59% agreeing (34% strongly agree, 25% somewhat agree), Balance Luzon with 58% (29% strongly agree, 30% somewhat agree, correctly rounded), and the Visayas with 53% (31% strongly agree, 22% somewhat agree) [Chart 2].

3 out of 4 say PRRD should expose his list of drug personalities and charge them in court

The June 2017 survey found that 74% agreed (46% strongly agree, 28% somewhat agree) with the statement: “Dapat isiwalat ni Pang. Duterte ang kanyang listahan ng mga taong sangkot sa droga o “drug personalities” sa publiko at sampahan ng kaso sa korte ang mga nakalista. [Pres. Duterte should expose his list of drug personalities to the public and charge those in the list in court],” while 12% disagreed (7% somewhat disagree, 5% strongly disagree) and 14% were undecided [Chart 3].

Agreement that Pres. Duterte should make his list of drug personalities public and charge those in the list in court was highest in Metro Manila at 82% (51% strongly agree, 31% somewhat agree), followed by Balance Luzon at 75% (44% strongly agree, 31% somewhat agree), Mindanao at 71% (48% strongly agree, 23% somewhat agree), and the Visayas at 69% (46% strongly agree, 23% somewhat agree) [Chart 4].

Opinions split about the truthfulness of police claim of "nanlaban"

The June 2017 survey also found that opinions continue to be split about the police claim that the suspects killed in the anti-illegal drugs campaign really resisted arrest: 25% said the police are telling the truth, 28% said the police are not telling the truth, and the plurality of 48% were unsure whether the police are telling the truth or not.

To the question, "Sa kampanya ng gobyerno laban sa illegal na droga, ang kapulisan po ba ay (SHOWCARD) na ang napapatay nilang suspect ay talagang nanlaban sa kanila? [In the government’s campaign against illegal drug, the police are…(SHOWCARD) that the suspects they killed really resisted them?]", 9% answered talagang nagsasabi ng totoo (definitely telling the truth), 16% malamang nagsasabi ng totoo (probably telling the truth), 48% hindi tiyak kung nagsasabi ng totoo o hindi (undecided if telling the truth or not), 16% malamang hindi nagsasabi ng totoo (probably not telling the truth), and 12% talagang hindi nagsasabi ng totoo (definitely not telling the truth) [Chart 5].

This compares to March 2017 when 24% said the police are telling the truth, 31% said the police are not telling the truth, and the plurality of 44% were unsure.

Pluralities across areas uncertain about police claim of "nanlaban"; disbelief highest in NCR

The proportion of those unsure whether the police are telling the truth or not was highest in Balance Luzon at 53%, followed by Mindanao at 46%, Metro Manila at 44%, and Visayas at 42% [Chart 6, Table 1].

On the other hand, the proportion of those who say the police are not telling the truth was highest in Metro Manila at 39%, followed by Balance Luzon at 27%, Visayas at 25%, and Mindanao at 23%.

The proportion of those who say the police are telling the truth was highest in the Visayas at 33%, followed by Mindanao at 30% (correctly rounded), Balance Luzon at 21%, and Metro Manila at 16%.

Survey Background

The June 2017 Social Weather Survey was conducted from June 23-26, 2017 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide, 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao (sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao).

The area estimates were weighted by Philippine Statistics Authority medium-population projections for 2017 to obtain the national estimates.

The Social Weather Survey items on the administration's campaign against illegal drugs are non-commissioned. They were included on SWS's own initiative and released as a public service.

The exact survey questions are as follows:

Introduction for #1 and #2. Narito po ang ilang mga pangungusap tungkol sa kampanya ng gobyerno laban sa illegal na droga. Pakisabi po kung kayo ay sumasang-ayon o hindi sumasang-ayon sa mga pangungusap na ito. (Lubos na sumasang-ayon, Medyo sumasang-ayon, Hindi tiyak kung sumasang-ayon o hindi sumasang-ayon, Medyo hindi sumasang-ayon, o Lubos na hindi sumasang-ayon) [Here are some statements about the campaign of the government against illegal drugs. Please tell me if you agree or disagree with these statements. (Strongly agree, Somewhat agree, Undecided if agree or disagree, Somewhat disagree, or Strongly disagree)]:

    Test statement: "Hindi pinapatay ang mga mayayaman na drug pusher; ang mga pinapatay ay ang mahihirap lamang. (Rich drug pushers are not killed; only the poor ones are killed.)"
    Test statement: "Dapat isiwalat ni Pang. Duterte ang kanyang listahan ng mga taong sangkot sa droga o “drug personalities” sa publiko at sampahan ng kaso sa korte ang mga nakalista. (Pres. Duterte should expose his list of drug personalities to the public and charge those in the list in court.)"
    Sa kampanya ng gobyerno laban sa illegal na droga, ang kapulisan po ba ay… (Showcard: Talagang nagsasabi ng totoo; Malamang nagsasabi ng totoo; Hindi tiyak kung nagsasabi ng totoo o hindi; Malamang hindi nagsasabi ng totoo; Talagang hindi nagsasabi ng totoo) nagsasabi ng totoo na ang napapatay nilang suspect ay talagang nanlaban sa kanila? [In the government’s campaign against illegal drug, the police are… (Showcard: Definitely telling the truth; Probably telling the truth; Undecided if telling the truth or not; Probably not telling the truth; Definitely not telling the truth) that the suspects they killed really resisted them?]

SWS employs its own staff for questionnaire design, sampling, fieldwork, data-processing, and analysis, and does not outsource any of its survey operations.