October 13, 2025
MANILA – Most Filipinos recently surveyed by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) want former President Rodrigo Duterte held accountable for deaths linked to the drug war during his administration.
The survey, commissioned by Stratbase Group, was conducted nationwide from September 24 to 30, 2025, sampling 1,500 adult Filipinos with a ±3% margin of error.
SWS’ Third Quarter 2025 survey found that 50% of respondents agree Duterte should be held responsible for killings related to the drug war during his term, while 32% disagreed, 15% were undecided, and 4% said they did not know enough to answer.
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Support for accountability was highest in Visayas (54%), Metro Manila (53%), and Balance Luzon (52%), while Mindanao—Duterte’s stronghold—showed the lowest at 39%.
By age group, Filipinos 55 and older recorded the strongest call for accountability at 62%, followed by those 45 to 54 at 52%, millennials 35 to 44 at 45%, and Gen Z aged 18 to 24 at 43%.
The survey comes as the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently rejected Duterte’s appeal for interim release.
In a 23-page ruling issued last Friday, the chamber said Duterte’s detention “remains necessary based on three grounds under the Rome Statute: (1) to ensure his appearance at trial; (2) to prevent him from obstructing the investigation or the proceedings; and (3) to stop potential commission of further crimes.”
READ: ICC ruling vs Duterte release bid shows he’s fit for trial
Nicholas Kaufman, Duterte’s legal counsel, requested an indefinite adjournment of pretrial proceedings on August 18, citing that the former president is unfit to stand trial “as a result of cognitive impairment in multiple domains.”
The ICC postponed Duterte’s hearing, originally scheduled for September 23, following his camp’s request.
Duterte first appeared before ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I on March 14, three days after his arrest in Manila, where judges verified his identity, informed him of the charges, and enumerated his rights.
Government data shows Duterte’s war on drugs claimed around 6,000 lives, though human rights groups report the actual number exceeded 20,000./mcm