Most Pinoys want RP to be neutral on Iraq war

Nearly half of Filipinos want the Philippines to remain neutral in a US-led war against Iraq even if it is sanctioned by the United Nations, results of a noncommissioned nationwide survey showed.

Conducted by Pulse Asia from Nov. 9 to 22, 1,200 Filipinos were asked to choose a course of action from preselected choices on the issue.

Forty-five percent said the Philippines should stay out of the standoff while only 10 percent favored total war against Baghdad, which has been accused of building weapons of mass destruction.

Commenting on the survey results, which were released yesterday, Malacañang said President Arroyo will base her decision on what the UN will decide on the standoff and not what domestic opinion polls say.

"At this point, we are supporting the UN resolution (barring Iraq from building weapons of mass destruction). Although there is a lot of talk of impending war, we have not been called upon to join any war at this time," Presidential Spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said.

Sixteen percent of the poll respondents said the country should support calls for Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s ouster but should not use military force to do so.

Fourteen percent said the Philippines should support any action the United Nations decides as long as it does not involve the use of force, while 13 percent said the country should support whatever the UN decides.

When asked what the country should do if Washington unilaterally declares war on Baghdad, 46 percent of poll respondents said the Arroyo administration should remain neutral.

Eighteen percent said Manila should ask the United Nations to stop the United States, while 12 percent said the government should provide a medical contingent to support US troops.

Only 10 percent agreed with the government position to give US forces access to Philippine military bases, ports and other facilities, while eight percent said the government should send troops.

Despite the ambivalence towards supporting a US attack, only six percent of respondents said the Philippines should criticize the United States for using military force to solve international problems, the survey said.

"On the whole, these figures show that a large portion of the citizenry would like the country in general and the government in particular to stay out of the brewing tensions between the United States and Iraq," Pulse Asia said in a statement.

The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points and a 95 percent confidence level. The survey was conducted on Pulse Asia’s initiative to gauge the public sentiment on the issue.

Manila and Washington signed a five-year military logistics support agreement last month, seen as a key element in enhancing Manila’s fight against terrorism.

The Mutual Logistics Support Agreement would give the US limited rights to base equipment in the Philippines for a limited period. – With Marichu Villanueva, Aurea Calica, AFP