Nearly 3 in 5 Filipinos (59%) approve of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) investigation into former President Rodrigo Duterte’s “War on Drugs,” according to a March 2024 national survey by non-partisan polling firm WR Numero. Meanwhile, 29% disapprove of the investigation, and 13% are undecided.
The March issue of the WR Numero Philippine Public Opinion Monitor survey asked Filipinos whether they support the ICC probe.
Metro Manila had the highest approval of the ICC investigation, with more than 7 in 10 supporting it, followed by South Luzon (65%), North-Central Luzon (60%), Visayas (55%), and Mindanao (47%). Conversely, Mindanao had the highest disapproval at 36%, followed by Visayas (29%), North-Central Luzon (28%), South Luzon (26%), and Metro Manila (23%).
By partisanship, 79% of opposition supporters back the ICC investigation, followed by those unsure of their partisanship (63%), independents (57%), and administration supporters (47%). Meanwhile, administration supporters lead in disapproval at 41%, followed by independents (30%), unsure partisans (24%), and opposition supporters (13%).
The nationwide survey also asked Filipinos if President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s administration should prioritize cooperating with the ICC in its investigation of former President Duterte’s “War on Drugs.”
A great majority of Filipinos (58%) agree that the Marcos Jr. administration should cooperate with the ICC, while 30% disagree, and 12% are unsure.
Metro Manila showed the highest agreement at 66%, followed by South Luzon (65%), North-Central Luzon and Visayas (60% each), and Mindanao (43%). Conversely, 45% of Mindanao respondents disagreed, followed by Metro Manila (29%), Visayas (27%), North-Central Luzon (26%), and South Luzon (22%).
In terms of self-identified partisanship, 76% of opposition supporters agree that the Marcos Jr. administration should cooperate, followed by independents and those unsure of their partisanship (58% each), and administration supporters (52%). Among those who disagree, administration supporters lead with 39%, followed by independents (30%), unsure partisans (27%), and opposition supporters (18%).
This nationally-representative survey was conducted face-to-face among 1,765 Filipino adults, aged 18 years old and above, across the country between 12 and 24 March 2024. The nationwide survey has a ±2% error margin at the 95% confidence level. At the sub-national level, the estimates for error margin are ±6% for the National Capital Region, ±5% for the Rest of Luzon, ±5% for Visayas, and 5% for Mindanao at a similar confidence level. No individual or entity, partisan or non-partisan, has singularly commissioned the independent survey.
