Majority of Filipinos do not believe police’s ‘nanlaban’ claim

Police were quick to tell that suspects were killed during anti-illegal drug operations because they resisted arrest or fought back with authorities. But in the latest survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), majority of Filipinos were not buying it.

In its Second Quarter 2017 survey, majority of Filipinos or 54 percent agreed that:

“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.]”

Those who disagreed to the survey statement were at 20 percent, while those undecided were at 25 percent.

The nationwide survey was conducted from June 23 to 26, involving 1,200 respondents, with a margin of error of plus-or-minus three percentage points.

The same data also revealed that of the 54 percent who agreed to the survey statement, 20 percent of them “strongly agreed” to it. The survey further showed that the disbelief over police’s “nanlaban” justification was highest in Metro Manila with 63 percent, followed by 56 percent in Luzon, and 49 percent in Visayas and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the survey said that 58 percent of the “very poor” sector, or those from the Class E, agreed that the killed drug suspects did not fight back with the police with 54 percent of the so-called masa, or those from the Class D, sharing the same perspective.

However, most of those in Classes A, B, and C do not agree with the survey statement with only 40% of them believing that the killed drug suspects did not fight back with authorities.

The latest SWS survey further disclosed that many Filipinos believed that those killed by policemen were not even drug peddlers.

According to the survey, 49 percent of the country agreed that: “Marami sa mga pinatay ng mga pulis sa kampanya laban sa illegal na droga ay hindi naman talaga mga nagtutulak ng droga o drug pusher [Many of those killed by the police in the anti-drug campaign are not really drug pushers].”

Twenty-three percent of the respondents disagreed to this survey statement while 27 percent were undecided about it.

In Metro Manila, 58 percent believed that the suspects killed by police during alleged anti-illegal drug operations were not drug pushers. Majority in Visayas shared the same view with 52 percent, while 48 percent and 45 percent in Luzon and Mindanao, respectively, support such perception.

Similarly, 51 percent of the society’s Class D believed that the killed suspects were innocent. Forty-five percent from Class E backed such view while only 38 percent from Classes A, B, and C believed so.

Moreover, 50 percent of Filipinos agreed that: “Marami ang nagsisinungaling at itinuturo ang kanilang mga personal na kaaway bilang drug user/pusher para mabigyang dahilan na patayin ang mga taong ito ng mga pulis o vigilante [Many are lying and pointing to their personal enemies as drug users or pushers in order to give an excuse for these people to be killed by police or vigilantes].”

Only 21 percent of respondents disagreed to this survey statement, as 10 percent of which said they “strongly disagree” to it. Twenty-eight percent were undecided about this survey statement.

Sixty-three percent in Metro Manila supported this survey statement, as 50 percent in Luzon and Mindanao also agreed to it. Only 42 percent in the Visayas concurred that many are merely making false accusations against personal enemies so that police or vigilantes could have a reason to kill the suspects.

/kga