A recent survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed that more than half of Filipinos believe former president Rodrigo Duterte should be held accountable for the extrajudicial killings linked to his administration’s controversial war on drugs.

The survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group and conducted from 15 to 19 February, found that 51 percent of respondents agreed that Duterte should answer for the drug-related killings, with 32 percent strongly agreeing and 19 percent somewhat agreeing. Meanwhile, 25 percent disagreed, 14 percent were undecided, and 10 percent said they lacked sufficient knowledge to form an opinion.

Support for holding Duterte accountable was highest in the Visayas, where 62 percent of respondents agreed. In Northern Luzon, 60 percent shared the same sentiment, followed by Balance Luzon at 49 percent, Central Luzon at 48 percent, Mindanao at 47 percent, the National Capital Region at 45 percent, and Southern Luzon at 44 percent. The survey also noted that those in rural areas, at 52 percent, were more likely to agree than those in urban areas, which stood at 48 percent.

The SWS conducted face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered Filipino voters, with 900 respondents from Balance Luzon, 300 from Metro Manila, 300 from Visayas, and 300 from Mindanao. The survey has a ±2.31 percent margin of error for national results and ±5.66 percent for regional results.

Duterte is currently facing charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands, for alleged crimes against humanity related to the drug war killings during his presidency and his tenure as Davao City mayor.

Government records acknowledge over 6,000 drug suspects killed in police operations, but human rights organizations estimate the actual number could be as high as 30,000 due to unreported cases. The ICC, however, is investigating only 43 alleged extrajudicial killing cases.

On 14 March, Duterte appeared before the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber via video link, where judges verified his identity and informed him of the charges. The next hearing is scheduled for 23 September 2025, to determine whether the case will proceed to trial.

Despite Mindanao being known as Duterte’s stronghold, 47 percent of respondents from the region still believe he should be held liable. This indicates that even in his bailiwick, public opinion on his controversial drug war remains divided.