MAJORITY of Filipinos support the inquiry that the quad committee of the House of Representatives is conducting on the illegal operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGOs) hubs in the country and the extrajudicial killings (EJKs) related to the violent drug war of the Duterte administration, according to the November 26 to December survey of the Pulse Asia.
The survey, which was commissioned by the Starbase Group, showed that 61 percent of the respondents agreed with the House probe, while 11 percent, or one of 10, disagreed, and 24 percent could not say if they were in favor or not.
The survey involved 2,400 adult respondents and had a margin of error of ±2 percent.
The survey results showed that majority from Luzon and the Visayas were in favor of the probe, with the strongest support coming from the National Capital Region (NCR) at 73 percent, followed by Luzon at 66 percent, the Visayas at 59 percent, and a near majority or 46 percent from Mindanao.
In the different socio-economic classes, 64 percent from the ABC classes backed the investigation, 62 percent from class D, and 52 percent from class E.
“Support is lowest in Mindanao at 46 percent, a known bailiwick of the Duterte family, who had been implicated in the investigations. Interestingly, the number of those who cannot say whether they favor the investigations or not (30 percent) are highest in Mindanao,” Stratbase said in a press release.
It was referring to Pulse Asia’s findings that 30 percent from Mindanao could not say if they support the investigations or not, followed by 24 percent from the Visayas, 23 percent from Luzon, and 17 percent from the NCR.
Survey respondents (37 percent) said they want the House joint committee to identify the government officials who should be held liable for the drug war killings and the coddlers of illegal POGOs.
Another 27 percent expressed hope that the extended inquiry would lead to the creation of new laws to address the three tissues, while 11 percent said they hoped that the probe result in the prosecution and conviction of those involved in the criminal syndicates.
The quad committee has recommended the filing of crimes against humanity charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte, Senators Christopher Lawrence Go and Ronald Dela Rosa, and other police officials in connection with the alleged EJKs in connection with the previous administration’s war on drugs.
The other recommendations which formed part of the initial committee report included the filing of charges against former PNP chiefs Oscar David Albayalde and Debold Sinas, Police Colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, and former Palace aide Herminia “Muking” Espino.
