Over half of Filipinos say Duterte must be held accountable for drug war killings

Over half of Filipinos say Duterte must be held accountable for drug war killings – poll

March 19, 2025 , 07:10 PM

By Clarist Mae Zablan

(March 19, 2025) – More than half of Filipinos believed that former president Rodrigo Duterte should be held accountable for extrajudicial killings linked to his anti-drug policy, based on an opinion poll released on Wednesday.

About 51% agreed that Duterte should be held to account for drug war-related killings during his administration, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey commissioned by Stratbase Group. Among them, 32% strongly agreed while 19% somewhat agreed.

The survey also found that about 25% disagreed with the sentiment, of whom 9% somewhat disagreed while 16% strongly disagreed.

Some 14% were undecided, while 10% said that they did not know enough to give an opinion.

Nasa 51% ng mga Pinoy ang sang-ayon na dapat panagutin si dating pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa mga pagpatay na may kaugnayan sa war on drugs ng kaniyang administrasyon, base sa survey ng Social Weather Stations #SWS. #News5 pic.twitter.com/1g9CKIetLo
— News5 (@News5PH) March 19, 2025

“Accountability is the bedrock of any democratic society. No leader, regardless of position or influence, should be above the law,” Stratbase president Dindo Manhit said in a news release, adding that the survey results show the importance of accountability for many Filipinos.

Among area and locale, Visayas has the largest percentage of Filipinos who wanted Duterte to be held accountable for drug war-related killings, with 62% agreeing with the sentiment.

In Mindanao, a known Duterte bailiwick, 47% agreed that the former president should be held accountable, while 28% disagreed.

The survey was conducted from February 15 to 19, weeks before authorities arrested Duterte and surrendered him to the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC). SWS interviewed a total of 1,800 respondents from across the country.

The Hague-based tribunal has been investigating killings linked to the former president’s drug war. Human rights groups have estimated that as many as 30,000 were killed in connection to the anti-drug policy during his term.

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