Sotto on SWS numbers: ‘Most people think drug users are innocent’

A recent poll indicating that almost half of Filipinos believe it is inevitable for innocent individuals to get killed in the government’s drug war is because “most people think that drug users are innocent victims,” Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said Thursday.

The Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted from September 23 to 27 shows that 46 percent of adult Filipinos agree with the statement: “Hindi maiiwasan na may mamatay na inosenteng mamamayan upang tuluyang masugpo ang illegal na droga sa ating bansa.”

Of those surveyed, 35 percent disagree with the statement, while the other 19 percent are undecided.

Sought for comment, Sotto said: “Eh ‘yun ang reading nila. We can’t do anything about that.”

“Most people think that drug users are innocent victims. That is why the crime involving dangerous drugs is the most complex crime of all. It’s the only crime where the victim is a criminal and the criminal is a victim!” Sotto said.

Sotto, former chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board, has earlier said that he is giving his “all out support” for the administration’s war on drugs.

The same survey also showed that 42 percent disagree (23 percent strongly disagree, 19 percent somewhat disagree) with the statement, “Tama lang na mapatay ang mga taong gumagamit o sangkot sa bentahan ng illegal na droga."

Some 39 percent, meanwhile, agree (20 percent strongly agree, 19 percent somewhat agree) that it is only right for drug users to get killed, and 18 percent are undecided. — MDM, GMA News