MANILA — The son of late Philippines dictator
Ferdinand Marcos on Wednesday claimed victory in the presidential election, vowing to be
a leader “for all Filipinos”, his spokesman said.
اضافة اعلان
With an initial
count almost complete, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, popularly known as “Bongbong”, has
secured over 56 percent of the vote and more than double the tally of his
nearest rival, liberal Leni Robredo.
In his first press conference, Marcos said that 31
million Filipinos had “voted for unity,” even as he waits for the vote counting
to finish.
His win is an astonishing reversal in the fortunes
of the Marcos family, who have gone from the presidential palace to pariahs and
back again in the space of a few decades.
“To the world, he says: Judge me not by my
ancestors, but by my actions,” spokesman Vic Rodriguez said in a statement.
Voters had been predicted to back Marcos by a
landslide in Monday’s election, after relentless online whitewashing of the
family’s past, the backing of powerful political dynasties, and public
disenchantment with post-dictatorship governments.
For years, pro-Marcos accounts have flooded social
media, leaving many young Filipinos believing his father’s rule was a golden
period of peace and prosperity.
In reality, Marcos senior left the
Philippines bankrupt and impoverished, and killed, tortured, and jailed tens of thousands
of opponents during his corrupt dictatorship.
‘Hit the ground running’
Hours after his thumping
victory, Marcos Jr visited his father’s grave at the national heroes’ cemetery
in Manila.
Photos posted on official Marcos social media
accounts on Wednesday showed him standing before the tomb with his head
slightly bowed and covering his eyes with his right hand, as if crying.
Marcos vowed to “hit the ground running” when he
takes office on June 30, with the economy, prices, jobs, and education to be
his government’s priorities.
“I know that the counting is not over, it is not yet
official, but I’m always guided and always look to the fact that 31 million of
our countrymen voted for unity,” Marcos told reporters at his campaign
headquarters in
Manila.
Marcos refused to take questions at the end of the
press conference, which lasted less than five minutes.
He is waiting for all the votes to be counted before
he declares victory, Rodriguez told reporters earlier.
The president-elect was greeted by a crush of
supporters as he arrived at the headquarters before fronting the media.
The crowd erupted in cheers when Marcos grabbed a cardboard
sign from a fan that read: “Thank you 31 million.”
“I am so happy, so overwhelmed,” said Joseph
Bugayong, a 30-year-old gardener standing outside the building.
“I saw him in person and even shook his hand. My
wait was worth it.”
The United States said it would seek close security
ties with the Philippines under a Marcos government, but made clear it would
raise human rights.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a
congratulatory message to Marcos, saying Washington looks forward to working
with him to “strengthen the enduring alliance” between their countries.
“As friends, partners and allies, we will continue
to collaborate closely with the Philippines to promote respect for human rights
and to advance a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure and resilient
Indo-Pacific region,” Blinken said.
“Our expectation is we’ll be able to continue to
work closely,” said Kurt Campbell, the top
White House official on Asia,
acknowledging that there may be some “challenges in the communication.
Questions over leadership style
The Marcos family’s
astounding journey from ignominy back to political favor has overshadowed
questions about what Marcos Jr’s administration would do.
There were few hints on the campaign trail after
Marcos snubbed televised debates and largely avoided media interviews as he
sought to avoid own goals.
Rights groups, Catholic church leaders, and
political analysts fear the huge win could embolden Marcos to rule with a heavy
fist and push through constitutional changes that could entrench his rule.
His running mate Sara Duterte, the daughter of the
outgoing president, also won the vice presidency, which is elected separately,
in a landslide.
Their success at the ballot box means the two
offspring of authoritarian leaders will hold the highest elected positions for
the next six years.
In his first cabinet appointment, Marcos said
Duterte would serve as education secretary.
The overwhelming win has devastated Robredo’s
supporters, who saw the election as a make-or-break moment for the country’s
fragile democracy.
Many of them went door to door across the vast
archipelago in a months-long effort to convince voters to support the liberal
candidate for the top job.
Robredo, a 57-year-old lawyer and the current vice
president, has admitted “clear disappointment” about the result but vowed to
continue the fight against poor governance.
Marcos will have to contend with this opposition
that could congeal into a potent pro-democracy movement.
“I think they could still be in a position to check the
worst instincts of the incoming Marcos and Duterte administration,” said
political analyst Richard Heydarian.
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