AROUND 60 percent of Filipinos have expressed support on the current administration’s plan to revive capital punishment, according to the latest poll released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The survey, conducted from March 25 to 28, found that 36 percent of 1,200 respondents “strongly approve” the proposed measure reimposing the death penalty to heinous crimes, while 24 percent “somewhat approve.”
Only 16 percent “strongly disapprove” the proposed measure and seven percent “somewhat disapprove.” Sixteen percent were ambivalent on the matter.
The poll results yielded a net approval score of “good” +38, the SWS said.
Net approval for the proposed measure was highest in Metro Manila at “very good” +58 (75 percent approve, 17 percent disapprove).
It was followed by Balance Luzon at “very good” +39 (63 percent approve, 24 percent disapprove); Mindanao at “very good” +35 (53 percent approve, 17 percent disapprove); and Visayas at "moderate” +25 (56 percent approve, 31 percent disapprove).
Net approval of the proposal was highest in class ABC at “very good” +62 (76 percent approve, 14 percent disapprove) and was followed by class D at “good” +40 (62 percent approve, 22 percent disapprove), and class E at “moderate” +21 (50 percent approve, 29 percent disapprove).
The House of Representatives has approved the bill that seeks to reimpose the death penalty on heinous crimes related to illegal drugs. It was approved to fulfill the campaign promise of President Rodrigo Duterte to reimpose capital punishment.
The SWS noted that only 48 percent have knowledge about the proposal, with 13 percent of them have “extensive knowledge” and the other 35 percent have “partial knowledge.”
Ten percent know “almost nothing or nothing” about the proposed measure while 43 percent have “only a little” knowledge.
The proportion of respondents with either extensive or partial but sufficient knowledge of the proposal was highest in Metro Manila at 54 percent, and was followed by Balance Luzon (51 percent), Visayas (49 percent), and Mindanao (37 percent).
On the other hand, those with either only a little knowledge or almost no knowledge was highest in Mindanao at 63 percent. It was followed by Visayas (51 percent), Balance Luzon (49 percent), and Metro Manila (46 percent).
In terms of socioeconomic classes, most of the respondents with either extensive knowledge or partial but sufficient knowledge belonged to Class ABC, garnering 65 percent, while those with either only a little knowledge or almost no knowledge at all was highest in Class E at 65 percent.
The survey showed that the net approval on the proposal was highest among those with extensive knowledge about it, posting a “very good” +59 net score (78 percent approve, 19 percent disapprove).
The SWS said it was followed by those with partial but sufficient knowledge at “very good” +51 (70 percent approve, 18 percent disapprove); those with only a good knowledge at “good” +30 (54 percent approve,25 percent disapprove); and those with almost no knowledge at “neutral” net zero (33 percent approve, 34 percent disapprove).
Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said results of the survey affirmed that lawmakers are "doing the right thing" to support Duterte’s resolve to push for peace and order and rid illegal drugs and criminality.
Abella said Duterte “is determined to fulfill his promise to make a safer and more secure place for the people and eventually pave the way for sustained economic progress to uplift the lives of the Filipinos, especially the poor.”
“The latest SWS survey showing the [60] percent of the Filipino people support the proposed death penalty affirms the President’s leadership platform anchored on peace and order, as well as his strong stance against illegal hard drugs and criminality,” Abella said in a statement.
“It also proves that the House of Representatives’ decision...to pass the death penalty bill is on the right track and accurately reflects the pulse of the Filipino people,” he added.
The survey used sampling error margins of ±3 percentage points for national percentages, and ±6 percentage points each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. (SunStar Philippines)