According to preliminary results, the dictator’s son Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Junior has won the presidential election in the Philippines. After counting more than 97 percent of the ballot papers cast, he has more than twice as many votes as his closest competitor, opposition leader Leni Robredo.
This puts the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the lead. The official final result is not expected for a few weeks. However, it is considered almost certain that the controversial Marcos dynasty will return to the Malacañang Palace in the capital Manila 36 years after their expulsion from the island state.
Violent incidents, demonstrations
The election was overshadowed by violent incidents with several deaths. Hundreds of human rights activists and students demonstrated afterwards. They accuse the electoral commission in Manila of fraud and do not want to recognize Marcos Jr.’s victory.
According to observers, thousands of citizens were unable to vote in Monday’s vote due to malfunctioning vote counting machines.
His family was exiled
Ferdinand Marcos Junior applied to succeed the controversial former President Rodrigo Duterte around three and a half decades after his father was deposed and the family exiled.
After six years of Duterte’s authoritarian rule, human rights activists, Catholic Church leaders and political analysts fear that Marcos Jr. could become even more autocratic as head of state.
Former Vice President Robredo calls on her supporters to accept the result and “listen to the voice of the people” She knows that many in the country are dismayed by the result. “For the sake of the Philippines, which I know you love very much, we must listen to this voice, because in the end we only share one nation,” explains the human rights lawyer. (AFP/SDA/noo)
