NEARLY half of Filipinos, or 47 percent of 106 million people, mistakenly believe drug use is punishable by death, the latest Social Weather Stations released Tuesday said.
The latest survey, fielded among 1,200 respondents, revealed 47 percent of Filipinos think using illegal drugs was a crime punishable by death, while only 53 percent had correctly responded that it was not true.
A higher percentage of 59 percent mistakenly believe the selling of illegal drugs is punishable by death.
In a related development, Senator Panfilo Lacson called on the Catholic Church to provide them details on policemen seeking refuge from the priests over frustrations in the government’s alleged extrajudicial killings as an offshoot of the government’s war on drugs.
“Church should provide details. We cannot guess on whom to invite. I am willing to coordinate with the Church and if they have the names of those willing to testify, why not?” he said.
“After all, we’re after the truth here. And it will help in our review,” also said Lacson, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs.
Asked if it can be proven that the killings are state-sponsored if these policemen would testify on the EJKs, Lacson said “I’m also intrigued as anybody if there’s state-sponsored EJKs.”
Across geographical regions, belief in the existence of death penalty for illegal drug use is the lowest in Metro Manila with 39 percent, followed by the rest of Luzon with 44 percent and the Visayas and Mindanao, each with 52 percent.
The same survey, however, found no by-area differences in terms of the belief that selling illegal drugs is punishable by death, with 61 percent in the Visayas, 59 percent in Metro Manila, and 58 percent each in Balance Luzon and Mindanao.
Philippine law currently does not allow death penalty for any criminal offense, with capital punishment effectively abolished in 2006 through passage of Republic Act No. 9346.
In the same survey, some 56 percent of respondents said they did not know about any program for drug rehabilitation dependents, and 44 percent saying that they do
The survey conducted from June 23-26 had sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages.
In the Senate, Senator Risa Hontiveros said this was a welcome development.
“I laud the Catholic Church’s decision to take a more proactive role on this issue particularly in providing sanctuary to witnesses including those who come from the ranks of the police force.”
If they are willing to divulge the information, Hontiveros said, she is certain the Senate is much willing to hear their testimonies.
Senator Bam Aquino said a Senate hearing would be a good venue to bring to light witnesses that the Church was currently protecting.
“As I said yesterday, their testimony can be taken in an executive session where their identities can still be protected,” he adeed.
