Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late dictator, is set to become the next president of the Philippines after taking an undisputed lead in the election, signaling the extraordinary rehabilitation of one of the country’s most prominent political families.
With more than 70% of the vote in the table, Marcos Jr. had more than 23.5 million, far ahead of his closest rival, current Vice President Lenny Robredo, a former human rights lawyer who had 11.1 million. The size of his lead means that the return of his opponents is not possible.
In a late-night address from his campaign headquarters in Manila, he thanked the volunteers for months of “sacrifice and work” but failed to claim victory. “Let’s wait until it’s very clear, until the number reaches one hundred percent, then we can celebrate,” he said.
Marcos Jr., 64, ran with the message “We will rise again together”, evoking nostalgia for his father’s authoritarian regime, which the family and his supporters described as a golden age in an online disinformation campaign.
Social media was flooded with fake stories about the rule of Marcos Sr., which removed atrocities and corruption that were widespread during the period.
Such images terrified survivors of the brutal regime of Marcos Sr. Thousands of political opponents were tortured, arrested and disappeared under his rule, while $ 10 billion was looted.
Marcos Sr. was overthrown in 1986 when the family was humiliated by helicopter from the presidential palace and fled into exile.
Since then, analysts say, Marcos has sought to rebrand his name and regain his place in politics. “The disinformation infrastructure has been around for a long time. It’s not as if he just sprouted up during this campaign. Marcosi’s plan to reach the presidency has been in place for decades, “said Aries Arugai, a visiting associate at ISEAS-Yusof Ishaq in Manila.
Marcos Jr. maintained a clear lead over his opponents in polls conducted before the vote, including second-ranked Robredo. A former human rights lawyer who advocates for marginalized groups, she is campaigning for the promise of good governance and an end to corruption.
People began queuing to vote before polling stations opened at 6 a.m. local time (2,300 BST) on Monday morning, with some waiting more than four hours in the heat. The vote was followed by a three-month fierce campaign in which 2 million Robredo volunteers launched an unprecedented door-to-door campaign to try to win over voters and counter the pressure of online disinformation.
Although Marcos Jr. denied having any organized online campaign, he was a huge beneficiary of false allegations circulating on social media. While Robredo and Marcos were the subject of false allegations, the misinformation about Robredo was extremely negative. The misinformation spread about Marcos and his family was intended to improve his image.
Lenny Robredo lined up while waiting to vote in Magarao, Camarines Sur. Photo: Lisa Marie David / Reuters
Marcos Jr.’s candidacy has a polarized view. At the Santa Ana Elementary School in a residential area of Manila that opened as a polling station, Raquel Deguzaman, 59, said she supported Marcos Jr. and did not believe the family was corrupt. “[Marcos Sr] managed to help the Philippines. He is really good, “she said, adding that he had built infrastructure, including hospitals.
Marcos is running in tandem with Sarah Duterte, who is running for vice president. She also had a great lead with more than 23.3 million votes in the unofficial census by the election server. The president and vice president are elected separately in the Philippines.
Cleo Anne A Calimbahin, an associate professor of political science at De La Salle University in Manila, said the results should come as no surprise, but sobering. They reflect in part the growing public frustration with previous administrations.
“I think this is a response from the public, which has seen the lack of progress since 1986,” Kalimbahin said, referring to the people’s power revolution that put the Philippines on the path to democracy, a process that is not linear. .
“Unfortunately, the reform program and its inability to achieve results since 1986 have made people even worried about reformist candidates,” Kalimbahin said.
Marcos Jr. avoids televised debates and provocative media interviews before the election, and his campaign is weak in terms of political details.
The winner of the election will take office on June 30th for a single, six-year term.
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