3 out 5 Pinoys believe Maute, Abu Sayyaf groups receive money from drugs trade —SWS

Three out of five Filipinos believe that the ISIS-inspired Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups that attacked Marawi City earlier this year received money from the illegal drug trade, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Conducted from September 23 to 27, with 1,500 Filipino adults as respondents nationwide, the survey showed that 60 percent of those surveyed were convinced that both terror groups are currently receiving money from illegal drug trade.

Eleven percent of the respondents said they "do not believe" and 29 percent were "undecided."

The survey had a sampling error margin of ±3% for the national percentages, ±4%for Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Highest in Metro Manila

Those who believed that members of both the Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups received drug money were highest at 72 percent in Metro Manila.

This was followed by Mindanao at 65 percent, Visayas at 60 percent, and Balance Luzon at 54 percent.

Respondents were asked "Gaano po kayo naniniwala o hindi naniniwala na mga teroristang grupong sumalakay sa Marawi City tulad ng Abu Sayyaf at Maute/ISIS group ay kasalukuyang tumatanggap ng pera mula sa bentahan ng illegal na droga?"

The latest poll published on Sunday, November 12, also showed that by education, those who believe were the highest among college graduates at 71 percent.

High school graduates followed at 66 percent, elementary school graduates at 53, percent and non-elementary school graduates at 48 percent.

As early as December 2016, Maute members were found to have been using drugs, said Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Major General Restituto Padilla, citing evidence uncovered by troops in terrorist hiding places in Butig, Lanao del Sur.

In June, Philippine Army soldiers recovered 11 kilograms of suspected shabu with an estimated value of more than P100 million following an encounter with the group in Marawi City.

President Rodrigo Duterte revealed in September a matrix of alleged drug lords involved in funding the siege of Marawi City, saying that slain Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog was one of them.

Combat operations were terminated in Marawi City on October 23. Duterte announced the liberation of the embattled city on October 17 after terrorist leaders Isnilon Hapilon and Omar Maute were killed by government troops.

At least nine Maute stragglers were killed during clearing operations in Marawi last week. — VDS, GMA News