Philippines Bongbong Marcos: Judge me by my actions, not by my ancestors
Written byTimes Magazine
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., son of the former Philippine dictator, demands that he be brought to justice for his actions, not his ancestry, after dominating the country's presidential election.
With more than 98% of the original tally, the 64-year-old senator holds a seemingly unassailable lead with two time as many votes as his closest rival.
Victory would seal a remarkable return to power for the Marcos family, who fled exile 36 years ago.
Marcos' father ruled the country from 1965 to 1986, imposing martial law and ushering in a period of widespread human rights abuses, corruption, and poverty.
Mass riots in 1986 brought millions to the streets, and the Marcos family - including 28-year-old Bongbong - fled the country for Hawaii.
The longtime politician, who returned to the Philippines in 1991, has tried to portray his father's presidency as a golden age, and research shows he is popular with young people.
Critics say his campaign was fueled by a disinformation campaign on social media, which he denies.
"Don't judge me by my ancestors, but by my actions," Marcos said in a statement through his spokesman on Tuesday. "My promise is to be the President of all Filipinos," he added.
Why is the Marcos family so famous?
Turnout on Election Day was high, and the country's previous elections were widely described as fair. But Howard Johnson of the in Manila said there had been long-standing inquiries about a faulty machine at a polling station and a video purportedly showing vote-buying.
Polls ahead of the election outperformed Mr. Marcos Jr. by his closest rival, Lenny Robredo, by ten percentage points.
Critics say this is because Mr. Marcos Jr. consistently described his father's reign as a period of prosperity that marked a time of rampant corruption and widespread poverty.
Ferdinand Marcos Sr., who died in 1989, and his wife Imelda stole about US$10 billion (£8.1 billion) from the Philippine treasury, thereby becoming a disgrace to public corruption.
As the vote count revealed the extent of Marcos' lead, Robredo urged his supporters to continue their fight for the truth and dismantle the "structure of lies."
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