'Son of the Dictator' Marcos Elected President of the Philippines... Vice President is Duterte's Daughter

Regaining the Presidency 36 Years After Father’s Abdication

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son of the 'dictator,' and former senator, has been elected as the next president of the Philippines.

According to local media such as ABS-CBN on the 10th, as of 5:10 AM local time with 94.4% of votes counted, presidential candidate Marcos Jr. has secured over 30.06 million votes, far ahead of his competitor, Vice President Leni Robredo, who has about 14.33 million votes. With the vote gap between the two candidates more than doubling, Marcos Jr.'s victory is virtually confirmed.

Candidate Marcos Jr. is the son of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., inheriting his father's name. Ferdinand Marcos Sr. is regarded as a dictator who tortured or killed thousands of opponents during his rule from 1965 to 1986. He was ousted in 1986 by a popular uprising and went into exile in Hawaii.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

In the 1990s, Marcos Jr. returned to the Philippines and was elected governor and senator in Ilocos Norte province, the political stronghold of his family. He also ran for vice president in 2016 but narrowly lost to the incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo, his opponent in this presidential election.

For vice president, the election of Sara Duterte, mayor of Davao and daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, who ran as Marcos Jr.'s running mate, has been confirmed. She has secured over 30.36 million votes, far ahead of her competitor, Senator Francis Pangilinan, who has about 8.92 million votes.

The Philippines held elections not only for president and vice president but also for 13 senators, 300 representatives, and 18,000 local government officials.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.