- Marcos leads unofficially by a wide margin over rivals
- Philippine stocks fall, but the peso rises after the election
- About 400 protesters against Marcos are gathering in front of the inquiry commission
MANILA, May 10 (Reuters) – The Philippines awoke to a new but familiar political dawn on Tuesday after the electoral triumph of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. paved the way for a once unimaginable return to the country’s top post, the most famous political dynasty.
Marcos, better known as “Bongbong”, defeated bitter rival Lenny Robredo to become the first candidate in recent history to win a majority in the Philippine presidential election, marking a stunning return from the son and namesake of a deposed dictator who has been in power for decades. . Read more
Marcos escaped into exile in Hawaii with his family during the 1986 People’s Power Uprising, which ended his father’s autocratic 20-year rule, and served in Congress and the Senate after his return to the Philippines in 1991. .
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
I’m registering
Marcos’ unofficial victory in Monday’s election now seems certain with 96% of the eligible ballots counted in an unofficial estimate, showing he has more than 30 million votes, twice as many as Robredo.
An official result is expected around the end of the month.
“There are thousands of you, volunteers, parallel groups, political leaders, who have thrown their fortunes with us because of our faith in our message of unity,” Marcos said in a statement posted on Facebook, standing next to the national flag.
Although the 64-year-old Marcos is campaigning on a platform for unity, political analysts say his presidency is unlikely to encourage it, despite the difference in victory.
Philippine stocks (.PSI) fell about 3% on Tuesday, following weaker global stocks, but analysts also cited concerns about Marcos’ profits, especially its fiscal implications if he keeps promises to subsidize food and fuel.
Meanwhile, the peso’s currency rose 0.3% against the dollar.
Many of Robredo’s millions of voters are outraged by what they see as a brazen attempt by the disgraced former first family to use their social media skills to rediscover historical accounts of their time in power.
Thousands of opponents of Marcos Sr. were persecuted during the brutal era of martial law from 1972-1981, and the family name became synonymous with robbery, stewardship and extravagant living, with billions of dollars of state wealth disappearing.
Supporters of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. are celebrating as the partial results of the 2022 national elections show him with a big lead over rivals outside the candidate’s headquarters in Mandaluyong, Philippines, May 9, 2022. REUTERS / Eloisa Lopez
Read more
The Marcos family has denied any wrongdoing, and many of its supporters, bloggers and social media influencers say historical accounts have been distorted.
STUDENT PROTEST
About 400 people, mostly students, staged a protest in front of the election commission on Tuesday against Marcos, citing election irregularities.
The election commission, which said the poll was relatively peaceful, is due to rule on petitions Tuesday to overturn its rejection of complaints seeking to ban Marcos from the presidential race.
The human rights group Karapatan has called on Filipinos to reject Marcos ‘new presidency, which it says is based on lies and misinformation, “to stink of Marcos’ disgusting image”.
Marcos, who avoided debates and interviews during the campaign, recently praised his father as a genius and statesman, but was also irritated by questions about the martial law era.
As the vote count showed Marcos’ victory, Robredo told supporters to continue fighting for the truth until the next election.
“It took time to build the structures of lies. “We have the time and the opportunity to fight and dismantle them,” she said.
Marcos has given some clues in the wake of the campaign on what his political agenda will look like, but is expected to closely follow outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, who has focused on major infrastructure work, close ties with China and strong growth. Duterte’s solid leadership style won him great support.
Washington should have committed to Manila, not criticized the “democratic headwinds that hit the Philippines,” said Greg Pauling, a Southeast Asian analyst at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“This is not the end of Philippine democracy, although it could accelerate its disintegration,” Pauling said.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
I’m registering
Additional reports by Neil Jerome Morales; Writing by Martin Petty; Edited by Ed Davis
Our standards: Thomson Reuters’ principles of trust.
Add Comment