According to partial counts on Monday, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. received more than twice as many votes as his closest competitor, the previous Vice President and opposition leader Leni Robredo. The controversial Marcos family would thus return to Manila’s Malacañang Palace, 36 years after their expulsion.
It was initially unclear how high the turnout was. Around 67 million people were called to the polls. A total of nine candidates and one female candidate (Robredo) applied for the highest state office. The election wins who gets the most votes. According to the tally, Sara Duterte, the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, was clearly ahead in the election for Vice President. She ran in the election with Marcos.
Violent Attacks
The election was overshadowed by violent attacks. There were also some problems with defective vote counting machines and missing names on voter lists. “In general, despite some glitches and some violence, the election went well,” said George Garcia of the Electoral Commission. Around 67 million people were called to the polls to choose the successor to controversial President Rodrigo Duterte.
Ferdinand Marcos had to leave the country after a popular uprising in 1986 and died in exile three years later. His son voted Sunday under tight security at an elementary school in the northern city of Batac. Before Marcos Junior’s appearance, the building was combed by bomb-sniffing dogs.
A total of ten candidates were up for election, but only the incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo and Marcos Junior had realistic chances. In the latest polls, 64-year-old Marcos was 56 percent, well ahead of his rival. Robredo cast her vote at a school in central Camarines Sur province, where supporters cheered her on.
Source: Nachrichten
