Manila, May 10 (BNA) Ferdinand Marcos Jr. scored a stunning victory in the Philippine presidential elections on Monday, the first majority victory since the 1986 revolution that toppled his late father’s two-decade rule.
An unofficial count showed that Marcos, popularly known as “Pong Pong,” had passed the 27.5 million votes needed for a majority, paving the way for a once unexpected return to Marcos family rule, 36 years after her retreat into exile during “The People.” power uprising.
“I hope you don’t get tired of trusting us,” Marcus told supporters in comments broadcast on Facebook, a platform at the core of his political strategy.
“We have a lot of things to do,” he said, adding that “an endeavor as large as this one does not involve one person.”
Marcos Jr. received 29.9 million votes, twice that of Vice President Lenny Robredo, with 93.8% of eligible votes counted, according to the Informal Electoral Commission (COMELEC) count. Participation was around 80%.
An official result is expected towards the end of the month, according to Reuters.
Despite their fall from grace, the Marcos family returned from exile in the 1990s and remained a powerful force in Philippine politics, retaining their influence with enormous wealth and long-distance relationships.
Marcos Jr. has served as governor, congressman, and senator, his sister, Amy, currently a senator, and his mother, Imelda, an influential power broker and widow of the late dictator, serving four terms in Congress. Marcos Jr’s son Ferdinand Alexander was poised to win a seat in Congress on Monday.
strong man approach
Marcus, 64, offered no real political platform, campaigning on a simple but vague unity message.
His six-year presidency is expected to provide continuity from outgoing leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose tough and tough style proved popular and helped him quickly consolidate power.
Analysts expect Marcos to focus on completing a multi-billion dollar infrastructure upgrade for Duterte and seeking closer ties with China.
A great boon for Marcos was securing the president’s daughter, Sarah Duterte-Carpio, as his running mate, drawing on her father’s broad support and helping Marcos make headway in the new electorate. An unofficial count showed Duterte-Carpio to win the vice presidency with more than three times the votes of her closest challenger.
Marcos has been criticized for skipping presidential debates and making little appearance in the media during the campaign, enabling him to limit scrutiny and control of his message through a network of influencers and bloggers who have been given extensive access to his events.
Monday’s finding shows the massive impact of a complex operation on social media targeting young Filipinos born after the revolution, and the spread of disinformation that challenges historical accounts of Marcos’ martial law era.
His camp insists he did not share disinformation.
As the voices poured in, supporters jumped outside Marcos’ campaign headquarters, waving flags and chanting “Marcos, Marcos, Marcos” with ecstasy.
“We are very happy because of his broad leadership,” said Milay Ilagan, 20. “Unity really prevailed.”
“Pong Pong Marcus’ wish that we all unite has come true.”
Although Marcos refrained from giving a victory speech, his son Ferdinand said, it was time to enjoy their victory.
“We must celebrate because I can say we have already won,” he told his supporters. “Let’s fulfill the BBM promise, we will all rise again,” he said, referring to his father.
About 65 million Filipinos are entitled to vote for president, vice president, legislative seats, and thousands of local office, from governors to mayors and councilors.
The Komelek said the election was relatively peaceful, with 15 security incidents, including the killing of three security personnel, in an area prone to political violence.
The high turnout caused long queues at polling stations, exacerbated in some areas by malfunctions in 533 of 106,000 counting machines.