More Filipinos prefer peaceful means in dealing with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), even if less are satisfied with the Aquino administration’s peace efforts, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results showed.
In its survey, the SWS said 45 percent of respondents peaceful negotiations are more effective in dealing with the MILF, 20 percent said military operations are more effective, and 35 percent said military operations and peaceful negotiations are equally effective.
The survey was fielded from March 20 to 23 with 1,200 respondents nationwide. It was conducted amid ongoing controversy surrounding the death of the 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January.
SWS noted that those who said peaceful negotiations are more effective declined by 17 points from 62 percent during the same period in 2014, preference for military operations rose by 11 points from 9 percent, while those who said military operations and peaceful negotiations are equally effective rose by six points from 29 percent.
It also pointed out that in 12 national surveys since December 1999, peaceful negotiations have consistently been seen as more effective in dealing with the MILF compared to military operations.
Despite the recent drop in March 2015, the ratio of those who prefer peaceful negotiations to those who prefer military operations is two to one, it pointed out.
Manila Bulletin
