The means versus the end

Last Oct. 10, President Duterte pointedly assigned the accountability for operations against illegal drugs to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and specifically directed the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, and all other agencies to desist from such operations.

The directive was a clear response to increasingly critical public opinion on the conduct of the President’s war on drugs.

Here, I summarize relevant findings of the Third Quarter Social Weather Survey, fielded on Sept. 23-27, 2017. The first SWS posting (10/8/17) from that survey was, by tradition, the presidential satisfaction rating itself.  It was Good, compared to Very Good in June, but such a drop is normal (“Observing public satisfaction,” Opinion, 10/14/17).

The September 2017 survey found a net +63 (Very Good) satisfaction with the campaign against illegal drugs (posted 10/16/17).  To me, this implies a sense by the public that the objective of lessening illegal drug pushing and addiction was being met.

On 10/19/17, SWS posted the administration’s report card, showing a Very Good grade of the Duterte administration for general performance, together with a Moderate grade in Solving the problem of extrajudicial killings or EJK (see “Who likes everything?”, 10/28/17).

On 10/23/17, SWS reported that “belief in the truth of police claims of ‘nanlaban’ continued to decline.”  With respect to the police claim that those killed had fought back, the September 2017 survey found 18 percent saying the police were telling the truth, versus 38 percent saying the police were not doing so.  This gave a net belief in the truthfulness of the police of -20, compared to net belief of -3 last June, -8 last March, and -1 in December 2016.  For four quarters, the “nanlaban” excuse has not been believed. The people scoff at the weapons shown beside the dead bodies.

Posted on 10/25/17: “95% of Pinoys say it is important that drug suspects be captured alive.” Such unanimity in public opinion is very rare. ALL Filipinos deplore the drug war killings.

Posted on 10/27/17: “1 out of 4 Pinoys know someone summoned for ‘Oplan Tokhang.’” Among those knowing someone, 49 percent said not all of those summoned were drug pushers/addicts, 36 percent said they all were, and others did not know.  Thus, Tokhang cases seen as mistakes exceed those seen as correct.

Posted on 10/28/17: “54% of Pinoys agree that rich drug pushers are not killed, only the poor ones are.” Furthermore, 50 percent agree that many of those killed did not fight back, and 45 percent agree that many of those killed are not really drug pushers.

Posted on 10/31/17: 65 percent disagree, and only 15 percent agree, that “It is right to give cash rewards to the police for the suspected drug users/pushers they kill.”

Furthermore, (a) 51 percent disagree, and only 28 percent agree, that “Persons who use drugs or are involved in the illegal drug trade do not have the capacity to change anymore” and (b) 42 percent disagree, and only 39 percent agree, that “It is right that persons who use drugs or are involved in the illegal drug trade are killed.”  Filipinos do not think there is no hope for drug pushers/users to reform.

Posted on 11/1/17: 46 percent agree and 35 percent disagree that “It cannot be avoided that innocent citizens will die in order to completely eradicate the illegal drug problem.” This shows a sense of helplessness. Will the Filipino people endure it indefinitely?

Contact mahar.mangahas@sws.org.ph.