Marcos Jr heads for landslide in Philippines Presidential election

THE PHILIPPINES: Voting conducted in the Philippines yesterday to elect a new President, with the son of former President Ferdinand Marcos the favourite to win the high-stakes election seen by many as a make-or-break moment for the country’s democracy.

Nearly 40 years after the patriarch was deposed by a popular revolt and the family chased into exile, Ferdinand Marcos Junior looks set to complete their remarkable comeback.

Ten candidates are vying to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte in the elections described as the most consequential in decades.

But only Marcos Jr and his rival Leni Robredo, the incumbent Vice President, are seen as having a chance of winning.

People wearing masks began queueing before dawn to cast their votes outside primary schools and other venues used as polling stations across the archipelago with more than 65 million Filipinos eligible to vote. More than 60,000 security forces have been deployed to protect ballots and election workers.

After a bitter campaign, polls showed Marcos Jr heading for a landslide. He had a double-digit lead over Robredo in the latest surveys and she will need a low turnout or a late surge of support to get over the line. In the Philippines the winner only has to get more votes than anyone else.

Marcos Jr and his running mate Sara Duterte — both offspring of former President’s have insisted they are best qualified to “unify” the country, though what that means is unclear.

– THE MALAY MAIL