Attitude and Behavioral Control: Factors behind Popular Support to Duterte’s Drug War

Abstract

Surveys and polls in the Philippines reveal that there is wide support for President Duterte’s Drug War. This study investigates why Filipinos support President Duterte’s Drug War Strategy. This paper advances the Theory of Planned Behavior by testing the extent to which Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control affect the intention of a young Filipino to support the Drug War strategy. A self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted to 197 Filipinos enrolled in four universities in Cebu City, Philippines. Linear Regression analysis and Structural Equation Modelling were employed in analyzing the gathered data with the aid of SPSS and Smart PLS. The results of the study reveal that Attitude and Perceived Behavioral Control are the main factors behind the youth’s support to President Duterte’s Drug War. This implies that strategic intervention in transforming people’s attitudes and facilitating the ease in showing support to the activities linked to the drug war are key foci to sustain if not increase, people’s support to the drug war policy.