Duterte’s satisfaction rating plunges below 50 per cent amid Philippines drug killings

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s honeymoon period may be over, but his deadly anti-drugs campaign will not wane, his office said on Monday, after a fall in ratings that his opponents said showed public disillusionment with his rule.

Duterte has enjoyed strong opinion poll numbers since winning the presidency in last year’s elections but heavy scrutiny of his war on drugs, which has killed thousands of Filipinos, appears to have impacted his ratings.

Trust and satisfaction in Duterte fell to the lowest of his presidency in the third quarter of this year, a survey showed on Sunday, although sentiment about his leadership remained positive overall.

“The honeymoon period of the president is usually for a year, so this is expected,” Duterte’s communications secretary, Martin Andanar, said in a radio interview, adding it should motivate the government to deliver on its overall objectives.

The Social Weather Stations survey was conducted between September 23-27, two days after thousands of Filipinos rallied to denounce Duterte’s drugs war and his authoritarian leadership style.

It also came amid unresolved allegations that he has unexplained wealth.