Eight out of 10 Pinoys worry about extrajudicial killings —SWS survey

Majority of Filipinos expressed worry about extrajudicial killings (EJKs), the latest survey from Social Weather Stations Survey showed.

Seventy-eight percent of Filipino adults who participated in SWS' Fourth Quarter 2016 Survey said they were worried that they or someone they know may become victims of EJKs.

This number is broken down into 45 percent who said they were "very worried" of becoming victims, and 33 percent "somewhat worried."

Ten percent were "not too worried" while those "not worried at all" represented 12 percent of respondents.

Despite this, the respondents supported the Duterte administration's war on drugs but called for the suspects to be kept alive.

The SWS survey was conducted from Dec. 3 to 6 using face-to-face interviews among 1,500 adults nationwide. 

Sampling error margin was at ±3 points.

Results were first published on BusinessWorld.

On keeping suspects alive

Seventy-one percent of the respondents said it is "very important" that drug suspects be kept alive when caught.

This number was unchanged from the September 2016 survey.

Those who regarded this as "somewhat important" comprised 23 percent, while those who said it is "somewhat not important" represented four percent of respondents.

For one percent of the respondents, though, keeping drug suspects alive is "not at all important."

How serious is EJK?

Almost four out of 10 (39 percent) respondents said EJK in the Duterte administration is "very serious."

Those who said it is "somewhat serious" represented 30 perecent, while the undecided were 22 percent.

Three percent, meanwhile, said EJK is "not serious at all" under the present administration.

‘Nanlaban?’

Asked if they believe police were telling the truth whenever they say that drug suspects resisted arrest ("nanlaban") in EJK cases, 28 percent said yes, with 9 percent saying that was "definitely the truth" and 19 percent said that was "probably the truth."

Twenty-nine percent, meanwhile, did not believe the cops—16 percent said it was "definitely not the truth" and 13 percent said it was "probably not the truth." 

Forty-two percent were unsure when police say suspects resisted arrest.

Satisfaction with drug campaign

Eighty-five percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the government's war on drugs. This number is broken down into 53 percent "very satisfied" and 32 percent "somewhat satisfied."

Eight percent were dissatisfied (five percent "somewhat dissatisfied" and three percent "very dissatisfied).

Those undecided, menwhile, were seven percent.

Summing these up, this yields an "excellent" net satisfaction rating of +77 for the fourth quarter for the drug campaign of the administration. This is one point higher than the +76 net satisfaction rating for the third quarter.

"Excellent" is defined by SWS as having rating of at least +70.

"Very good" is +50 to +69; "good" is +30 to +49; "moderate" is +10 to +29; "neutral" is +9 to -9; "poor" is -10 to -29; "bad" is -30 to -49; "very bad" is -50 to -69; and "execrable" is -70 and below.

Drug problem in their area

Eighty-eight of respondents said the illegal drug problem declined since President Rodrigo Duterte took his oath of office on June 30. This number is broken down into 56 percent saying they "strongly agree" and 32 percent saying they "somewhat agree."

Two percent "somewhat disagree," while one percent said they "strongly disagree."

Nine percent were undecided.

Admin’s seriousness in solving EJKs

The survey also showed that 70 percent of respondents agreed that the Duterte administration is serious about solving the problem of extrajudicial killings. This number is broken down into 38 percent saying the government was "very serious" and 32 percent saying the administration was "somewhat serious."

Six percent said the government was "somewhat not serious" while 20 percent were undecided. —KG, GMA News