Popular support for Duterte's War on Drugs: investigating the religious dimension

CRISEA European Policy BriefPresident Rodrigo Duterte's War on Drugs in the Philippines has shocked the world because of its unrestrained forms of state violence, but also because of the popular support his campaign has enjoyed. To explore its sociocultural underpinnings, the CRISEA research project has invested in an ongoing project on the justifications religious leaders employ in support of the anti-drugs campaign. Asking this question is important given that the Philippines, apart from being predominantly Catholic, is among the most religious societies in the world. How a religious society responds to a campaign known for its human rights violations is a significant sociological question with considerable policy implications. Survey results reveal that not only are Filipinos satisfied with Duterte's performance, in 2017 a national survey also showed that 88% of Filipino adults supported the War on Drugs. It was the case even if 73% believed that extrajudicial killings were also taking place. This is the social context for the popularity of the anti-drugs campaign. The accusations that there are far too many casualties in the War on Drugs do not affect President Duterte's popularity at all. The government has taken great pains to justify the program by providing what it calls 'social cards' or numerical figures demonstrating its successes. As of late, it claims that 5,327 local communities have been declared drug-free and USD 376 million worth of illegal drugs and laboratory equipment seized