Most Filipinos Want ICC to Focus on Drug War Victims

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A majority of Filipinos believe the International Criminal Court (ICC) should prioritize justice for victims of the Duterte administration’s drug war rather than focus on the political rift between former President Rodrigo Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., according to the latest WR Numero national survey.

The Philippine Public Opinion Monitor survey, conducted from March 31 to April 7, 2025, found that 59% of respondents want the ICC to center its efforts on addressing extrajudicial killings (EJKs), while only 12% disagreed and 18% were unsure.

The nationwide poll is the first public opinion survey released since Duterte’s March 12 arrest by Interpol and Philippine authorities under an ICC-issued warrant related to alleged crimes committed during his presidency.

Regionally, the call for justice was strongest in Metro Manila, where 70% said the ICC should prioritize drug war victims over political issues.

Support was similarly high in Luzon (68%) and the Visayas (65%), while public opinion in Mindanao was more divided, with 32% in agreement and 30% in disagreement.

By age group, younger Filipinos were most likely to support the ICC’s focus on EJK victims, with 61% of those aged 30 and below in favor, followed by 59% of those aged 31 to 59, and 56% of those 60 and older.

Across income classes, support was highest among Class ABC respondents (70%), followed by 67% in Class D and 56% in Class E.

Nearly half of Filipinos (47%) also believe that if victims of the drug war cannot obtain justice through the Philippine legal system, they should seek recourse from the ICC.

Twenty-nine percent disagreed with international legal intervention, while 24% were undecided.

In Metro Manila, 66% supported international legal action when domestic justice fails, followed by 57% in the rest of Luzon and 45% in the Visayas.

Mindanao again showed the most skepticism, with 44% uncertain and 37% opposed to ICC involvement.

By age, the youngest voters (aged 30 and below) again led support at 50%, followed by 49% of those aged 60 and above, and 45% of those aged 31 to 59.

Support for seeking justice internationally was also highest among the most affluent, with 70% of Class ABC respondents in favor, compared to 52% in Class D and 43% in Class E.

The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,894 registered Filipino voters nationwide.

It has a ±2% margin of error at the national level and a ±5–6% margin at the regional level.

The survey questions on the ICC were commissioned by Dr. Gary Ador Dionisio and are part of the WR Numero Philippine Public Opinion Monitor Volume 2025, Issue 2.

WR Numero is a nonpartisan research organization that conducts independent, data-driven public opinion polling in the Philippines, focused on electoral behavior, governance, and democratic values.

It has established a reputation for timely and transparent surveys that inform both the public and policymakers, using nationally representative samples and rigorous fieldwork protocols.

The same April report also includes updated voter preferences for the May 2025 and 2028 elections and public opinion on Duterte’s arrest and the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.

The full brief is available for public download at tinyurl.com/wrn-ppom.

 

 

 

 

Index of Figures

 

Figure 1. Views on the ICC prioritizing justice for drug war victims over Marcos-Duterte rift

Figure 2. Views on the ICC prioritizing justice for drug war victims over Marcos-Duterte rift, by region

Figure 3. Views on the ICC prioritizing justice for drug war victims over Marcos-Duterte rift, by age

Figure 4. Views on the ICC prioritizing justice for drug war victims over Marcos-Duterte rift, by income class

Figure 5. Views on pursuing international legal recourse for drug war victims

Figure 6. Views on pursuing international legal recourse for drug war victims, by region

Figure 7. Views on pursuing international legal recourse for drug war victims, by age

Figure 8. Views on pursuing international legal recourse for drug war victims, by income class