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78 pct of Filipinos worried about extrajudicial killings: poll

Xinhua, December 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

Although more than half of the Filipinos fear that they may fall victims to extrajudicial killings (EJKs), many still support the administration's campaign against illegal drugs, according to a recent poll by a Filipino social research institution.

The poll, conducted on Dec. 3-6 among 1,500 adults by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), showed that 78 percent of the population were worried that they, or anyone from their families, will fall victims to EJKs -- including a total of 45 percent saying they were "very worried," and another 33 percent being "somewhat worried."

On the other hand, 10 percent said they were "not too worried" and 12 percent "not worried at all."

The results of the poll, which were released Monday on the SWS website, showed that 39 percent of the population believed the EJK problem is "very serious" in the present administration.

Meanwhile, 30 percent said it was "somewhat serious," 22 percent were "undecided" and three percent said it was "not serious at all."

The Filipinos were also divided on whether the police were telling the truth that the suspects they killed really resisted arrest.

While 42 percent were "undecided," 28 percent said that the police were telling the truth, of which 9 percent thought the claims were "definitely the truth," and 19 percent thought these were "probably the truth."

On the other hand, 29 percent believed the police were not telling the truth.

Despite the fear for EJKs, the SWS poll showed that in the fourth quarter this year, the Filipinos remained satisfied with President Rodrigo Duterte's campaign against illegal drugs.

A total of 85 percent of the population were satisfied with his campaign; of which 53 percent said they were "very satisfied" and 32 percent "somewhat satisfied," it showed.

Only 8 percent said they were dissatisfied, of which 5 percent were "somewhat dissatisfied" and 3 percent "very dissatisfied."

The poll also showed that 88 percent agreed that there has been a decrease in the drug problem since Duterte took office in June. Only 3 percent disagreed.

Still, 71 percent of the population believed that it is "very important" to keep drug trade suspects alive.

EJKs refer to the killings of people by governmental authorities without the sanction of any judicial proceeding or legal process. Endi