SWS latest survey ‘encouraging sign’

Survey questions leading, pointed — Palace

An alleged drug pusher lies on the ground after he was shot dead following a police operation at a slum area in Navotas City, August 17, 2017. Photo courtesy of Vincent Go/CBCPNews

A CAATHOLICc bishop said it’s an “encouraging sign” that majority of Filipinos are convinced that many drug suspects killed in anti-illegal drugs operations were victims of summary executions.


Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan said this perception of the government’s war on drugs is something that the authorities should take seriously.
“Even if many of us have known this all along, the survey result is definitely still an encouraging sign,” David said.
The prelate was referring to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey wherein 54 percent of Filipinos believed that suspected drug pushers and users killed in police operations did not resist arrest.
In the same survey, nearly half or 49 percent even believe that police are killing innocent people. Twenty-three percent, however disagreed, while 26 percent were undecided.
“I think the survey merely shows that most Filipinos know how to follow their basic common sense,” he added.
The bishop said it’s simply illogical for a drug suspect to fight back knowing that he could be killed on the spot.
“It does not make sense that a drug suspect’ who knows he’ll surely die if he engages heavily
armed policemen in a special operation in a firefight, would still fight,” David said.
He reiterated his call for the government to observe due process, adding that the rule of law should not be disregarded in the campaign against illegal drugs.
“Even presuming that they are involved in drugs, I know of no law that says they can just be summarily executed,” said David.
‘Questions leading, pointed’
However, Malacañang on Wednesday expressed doubt on the result of the latest SWS survey, which supposedly showed that majority of Filipinos disagreed with the argument that suspects killed by police in drug operations resisted arrest.
“It seems the 2nd Quarter Social Weather Stations (SWS) Survey contains leading and pointed questions that may have unduly influenced the answers of respondents,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.
In its Second Quarter 2017 survey conducted from June 23 to 26, but whose results were only released on September 27, The SWS asked the respondents whether they agree or not with three statements.
In the statement “Marami sa mga pinatay ng mga pulis sa kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga ay hindi totoong nanlaban sa pulis (Many of those killed by the police in the anti-drug campaign did not really fight against the police), 20 percent said they strongly disagreed while 34 percent said they somewhat agree.
Only 8 percent said they strongly disagreed and 12 percent said they somewhat disagree.
Including the aforementioned statement, Abella listed the other “leading and pointed questions” he was referring to as:
Marami sa mga pinatay ng mga pulis sa kampanya laban sa ilegal na droga ay hindi naman talaga mga nagtutulak ng droga o pusher (Many of those killed by the police in the campaign against illegal drugs are not really drug pushers).
Marami ang nagsisinungaling at itinuturo ang kanilang mga personal na mga kaaway bilang drug user/pusher para mabigyang dahilan na patayin ang mga taong ito ng mga pulis o vigilante (Many are lying and identifying their personal enemies as drug users/pushers in order to give a reason for police or vigilantes to kill these people).
“We expect pollsters to exercise prudence and objectivity to arrive at a closer approximation of public sentiment,” Abella said. Reports from CBCPNews and PNA