Posted on 05/09/2022 1:18:36 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The son and namesake of ousted Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos took a commanding lead in an unofficial vote count in Monday's presidential election in the deeply divided Asian democracy.
With more than 77 percent of the votes tabulated, Marcos Jr. had 25 million, far ahead of his closest challenger, current Vice President Leni Robredo, a champion of human rights, who had 11.9 million.
The election winner will take office on June 30 for a single, six-year term as leader of a Southeast Asian nation hit hard by two years of COVID-19 outbreaks and lockdowns.
Still more challenging problems include deeper poverty and unemployment and decades-long Muslim and communist insurgencies. The next president is also likely to hear demands to prosecute outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte for thousands of killings during his anti-drug crackdown — deaths already under investigation by the International Criminal Court.
Duterte's daughter, southern Davao city Mayor Sara Duterte, is Marcos Jr.'s vice presidential running mate in an alliance of the scions of two authoritarian leaders who concern human rights groups. The tie-up has combined the voting power of their separate northern and southern political strongholds, boosting their chances but compounding worries of human rights activists.
Sara Duterte also had a formidable lead with 24.9 million votes for vice president in the unofficial count from the Commission on Elections server. The president and vice president are elected separately in the Philippines.
"History may repeat itself if they win," said Myles Sanchez, a 42-year-old human rights worker. "There may be a repeat of martial law and the drug killings that happened under their parents."
In a late-night video statement, Marcos Jr. did not claim victory but thanked his supporters for accompanying him on "this sometimes very difficult journey" and urged them to keep up their guard
(Excerpt) Read more at pbs.org ...
Can he fill his mother’s shoes?
I will give Duarte this much credit.
He got the contractors to finish the renovations at the Manila Airport. That place was a mess for a long time before he threatened them.
🤣
lol
She came out to vote for him today and didn’t have to wait in line.
Rimshot, ba-dum-tss. LOL.
Could anyone? Great question...
Ha!
*Can he fill his mother’s shoes?* U R funny.
It’s good we gave his dad sanctuary when overthrown.
Duarte got rid of the drug dealers in the funniest way.
Will the next Marcos rob the country? Martial law?
Would Ferdinand Marcos Jr be good for the United States?
How does he feel about China violating their sovereignty?
What were the hot button issues of the campaign?
Funny as in, “Haha”
Or funny as in, consolidating the whole business under the Chinese?
“The name you know.”
<My in-laws are Filipino. Brother married a great Filipina lady.
Funny what you said about the airport. The customs officials there are hands-down the most corrupt people you can buy with money. I dont really care what it looks like as long as it’s presentable.
One of my relatives got “swindled” into the lockdown hotel after arrival and “forced’ to cough up an extra $5K for the hotel and she cried to the guy that she paid $1500 for the trip. Customs guy got embarrassed after the scene and just let her in.
My Filipino in-laws are Robredo backers. The one reason why Marcos will win is because the youth there were born after Marcos was kicked out and dont remember 1986 People Power.
According to the story, “if” they vote for Marcos, it will bring back the time when the Philippine peso was at par with the US dollar during the 70’s (historically almost true) and that jobs will come back.
And Bongbong Marcos is not even allowed in the US!
It is obvious he knows where the BILLIONS OF US DOLLARS his father stole away and never gave back. There’s even an actual quote where he stated his father found the Yamashita treasure and 20 years later, he stated “it a myth”.
I had a connecting flight that was delayed because immigration guys all took lunch at the same time. It was really frustrating
RE: Would Ferdinand Marcos Jr be good for the United States?
I don’t think he’s hostile to the US even though his father’s regime fell when Reagan was president and they had to flee to Hawaii.
RE: How does he feel about China violating their sovereignty?
He has advocated diplomacy instead of confrontation, recognizing that the Philippines is not in any military position to face China.
His foreign policy looks to be a continuation of the previous Duterte administration’s policies.
I see what you did there.
ping
RE: What were the hot button issues of the campaign?
* COVID POLICY
* THE ECONOMY
* THE DISPUTE WITH CHINA IN THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA
* DRUGS
* MUSLIM AND COMMUNIST INSURGENCIES
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