66% believe number of drug users declined: SWS survey
A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Saturday showed majority of Filipinos believe that there was a decrease in the number of illegal drug users compared to last year.
The fourth quarter 2018 SWS survey conducted on December 16-19 said 66 percent said the number of drug users in their area decreased over the past year.
The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide. It had a sampling error of margins of ±2.6 percent for national percentages, and ±5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
"The quarterly Social Weather Surveys on public satisfaction with the administration's campaign against illegal drugs are not commissioned. They are done on SWS's own initiative and released as public service," SWS said.
It noted that 14 percent believe drug users increased while seven percent said the figures remained the same.
The number of respondents who said there were less drug addicts in their area was highest in Mindanao with 83 percent. It was followed by Visayas with 71 percent and Metro Manila with 67 percent agreeing drug users decreased.
SWS said at least 95 percent feel it is important illegal drug suspects be captured alive by the police. The pollster explained that among those who said it, 77 percent believe it is very important while 18 percent said it is somewhat important.
"This is similar to 95 percent when the question was first surveyed in June 2018," they said.
"The dominant opinion in all areas was that it is important that drug suspects are captured alive: it was 97 percent in Metro Manila and the Visayas, 96 percent in Mindanao, and 92 percent in Balance Luzon," they added.
The survey said 87 percent think police consider it important to capture illegal drug suspects alive.
It is a percentage point higher compared to June 2018's result with 86 percent.
"The dominant opinion in all areas was that it is important for the police that drug suspects are captured alive: it was 91 percent in the Visayas, and 86 percent in the Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, and Mindanao," SWS explained. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS
