Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr is the son of a former Philippines dictator. He is heading to win the country’s presidential race by an overwhelming margin.
The 64-year-old senator has so far won 56% of the vote, compared to 28% for rival Leni Robredo.
Bongbong Marcos’ victory would return his family to power after 36 years. This was after a long struggle when they were too expelled due to a popular revolution.
Critics claim his campaign featured misinformation. However, Bongbong Marcos denies this. The turnout on voting day was high. Also, the previous elections in the country were largely ruled out to stay fair.
Officials stated, “Isolated incidents of violence – including the shooting of three people near a polling station – were not reflected widely across the country.”
BBC’s Howard Johnson in Manila said that there are persisting questions about broken machines at polling stations. In addition, questions on videos allegedly showing vote-buying do linger still.
The run-up of opinion polls kept Mr. Marcos Jr ahead of his nearest rival, Ms. Robredo. This was by dozens of percentage points.
Critics said that this was the result of Bongbong Marcos continuously painting his father’s ruling period as a golden age. However, he was also indeed whitewashing the period of rampant corruption and widespread poverty.
His father, Ferdinand Marcos, who became president in 1965, imposed martial law in 1972. He ruled over a brutal regime. The period also witnessed the jailing and killing of thousands of dissenters and critics.
Mr. Marcos Sr, who died in 1989, and his wife Imelda stole an estimated $10bn (£8.1bn) from the Philippines’ coffers. Hence, becoming infamous examples of public graft.
Mr. Marcos is not a newcomer to politics. He served in various elected positions over the years. However, He lost the 2016 vice-presidential election to Ms. Robredo. That’s why he fiercely contested.
Critics said that the campaign didn’t detail his plans or policies. He also ignored debates where he may face independent questioning.
Ms. Robredo ran for president on the promise of a clean and effective government. He also drew huge crowds at her pink revolution rallies.
Credits: BBC
