Who says drug war paints picture of ‘gloom, helplessness’?

President Rodrigo Duterte scores on his  drug war./ AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS

Malacañang on Sunday said the recent survey showing that 8 out of 10 Metro Manila residents felt safer on the streets was proof that the administration’s war on drugs was accepted by Filipinos, contrary to the atmosphere of fear being painted by its critics.

“The administration’s drug war is well-received by the people on the ground in sharp contrast to the gloom and hopelessness depicted by the President’s critics,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“This favorable public sentiment gives us strong impetus to surge ahead in our anti-drug campaign and hope that we continually get the cooperation of the community, and even support of the clergy, especially in the implementation of a rehabilitation program for ‘Tokhang’ surrenderers,” Abella said.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Saturday boasted the result of the Pulse Asia poll, where the antidrug campaign gained an 82 percent approval rating from the public. The statement posed to respondents was: “Compared to last year, I feel that it is less dangerous now in our place because of the campaign against illegal drugs.”

“We will take this accomplishment as one of our basis and guide to further improve our performance, to address the security demands of the public and to further pursue our transformation program,” said NCRPO Director Oscar Albayalde.

More than 7,000 deaths have been linked to the war on drugs, which has been called out by international rights groups for human rights violations and extrajudicial killings./rga