De Lima, Lacson: Trust in Duterte still high but slowly declining

Camille Elemia

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De Lima, Lacson: Trust in Duterte still high but slowly declining
Both senators say Malacañang should look into the decline – although still not substantial – in the President's actual trust ratings in just 100 days into office

MANILA, Philippines – Trust in President Rodrigo remains high but is slowly declining. 

This is what Senators Leila de Lima and Panfilo Lacson said on Wednesday, October 12, on the 86% trust and approval ratings of President Rodrigo Duterte, based on the results of the latest survey of Pulse Asia Research, Incorporated released that day.

De Lima, Duterte’s fiercest critic, said the details of the survey show that there is a decline in his public trust numbers which were at 91% when he entered office in July

Citing election results, De Lima said Duterte’s numbers slid among Class D and E. From 92% in July among Class D and E, his ratings slipped to 85% and 88%, respectively.

“Generally, mataas pa, excellent pa, dahil nga strong leadership ang pinapakita ng Pangulo (Generally it is still high, excellent, because of the strong leadership shown by the President),” De Lima told reporters.

“Sa akin, isa yan sa pinaka-significant na pinapakita ng latest survey na ‘yan. Kumbaga, bumaba pa rin from the 91% survey rating as of July. So bumababa na siya. There’s some erosion already in the trust rating of the President. But hindi pa ganoon ka-substantial,” she added.

(For me, that’s one of the most signficant points shown by that latest survey. His rating went down from the 91% survey rating in July. So it’s going down. There’s some erosion already in the trust rating of the President. But it’s not yet that substantial.)

The decline, however, is statistically negligible considering the 3-percentage-point error margin of the survey. The difference has to be more than 6 percentage points to be statistically significant.

De Lima then urged Malacañang to take into consideration the President’s ratings decline, as well as the results of a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on public opinion on the spate of killings linked to the government’s war on drugs. While the campaign got a net satisfaction rating of +76, 71% of the respondents said they want the suspects not to be killed.

“So dapat mag-isip din sila. The Palace also has to consider that. Malaking punto po ‘yun, ‘yung ganoon na mataas ‘yung disapproval doon sa mga killings (They have to think about that too. It’s a big point, the high disapproval on killings),” they said.

Killings as cause?

De Lima attributed the President’s lower trust rating to the extrajudicial killings, and again cited the SWS survey results.

“Pero kung hihimayin ‘nyo po yung mga specifics ng resulta, hindi ho ba may nagpapakita na mayroong substantial segments, especially Classes D and E, na nagdi-disapprove ng extrajudicial killings. Merong repugnance ngayon on extrajudicial killings,” she added.

(If you scrutinize the specific results, there were substantial segments, especially in Classes D and E, who disapprove of extrajudicial killings. There is a repugnance now on extrajudicial killings.)

De Lima and Duterte have long been at odds over the issue of human rights. When she chaired the Commission on Human Rights and Duterte was Davao City mayor, De Lima launched a probe into Duterte’s alleged involvement in the Davao Death Squad.

This went on when she was justice secretary. When she became senator, she drew the ire of the President when she led the Senate investigation into the spate of extrajudicial killings under Duterte amid his fight against illegal drugs. (READ: De Lima witness: Duterte ‘ordered’ killings in Davao)

Duterte’s allies, in return, launched a counter-probe at the House of Representatives, which looked into De Lima’s alleged role in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the national penitentiary when she was justice secretary.

Study numbers

Senator Lacson, for his part, shared De Lima’s sentiment, saying Malacañang should look more into the trust ratings decline, even if not yet “substantial.”

“Tama ‘yan. Mataas pa rin pero ang dapat pag-aralan bakit may slide, bakit bumababa. At kung magpapatuloy ‘yan, kailan sila magigising para i-correct?” Lacson told reporters.

(That’s right. It’s still high but they should study why there was a slide, why did it go down? And if it continues, when will they wake up to correct it?)

“Si Pangulong Aquino tatandaan natin tumaas pa sa 1st quarter, parang na-fortify o na-improve ang goodwill sa kanya (Remember that President Aquino’s ratings went up in the 1st quarter, so it’s like goodwill towards him was fortified),” he said.

Aside from Pulse Asia, Lacson said the SWS  indicated a slight decline in the President’s satisfaction rating – from +79 in June to +76 in October.

This, however, is considered not significant, considering the SWS October poll’s 3-percentage-point margin of error.

“Obviously may kamaliang nangyayari kasi consistent, two survey firms nagsasabing may pagbaba, di nga lang substantial. At NCR, trendsetter ang NCR pagdating sa perception na laro. So dapat pagaralang mabuti especially ng mga adviser ng Pangulo,” he added.

(Obviously, something wrong is happening because it’s consistent, two survey firms are saying that it’s going down, though not yet substantial. NCR is a trendsetter in terms of the game of perception. So it should be studied well especially by the President’s advisers.)

But the senator was quick to point out Duterte’s numbers may still change, as it is only the first 100 days of his administration. he said. – Rappler.com

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Camille Elemia

Camille Elemia is a former multimedia reporter for Rappler. She covered media and disinformation, the Senate, the Office of the President, and politics.