Philippine dictator Marcos son on the verge of taking power

In the Philippine presidential election held on the 9th, former Senator Marcos Jr., the son of former President Ferdinand Marcos, who has been notorious for iron fist rule and corruption for 21 years from 1965 to 1986, is certain to be elected. Marcos Jr., known for his nickname "Bonbong," focused on social media to target young voters who have little memory of their father's tyranny during the election, and received direct and indirect support from the Duterte regime as a candidate for vice president.

According to AFP on the 7th, the campaign for the presidential election, in which 10 candidates ran, ended on that day. According to Pulse Asia, a local poll company, Marcos Jr. has gained 56 percent of support, beating his biggest rival, Vice President Lenny Robredo (23 percent), by 33 percentage points. Boxing hero Manny Pacquiao (7 percent) and Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso (4 percent) are also not enough.

Some point out that his election is likely to show the chronic problems of the Philippines, namely nepotism and polarization. Spain and the United States, which ruled the Philippines in the past, have given only a few wealthy people the right to vote to promote polarization, and even after independence in 1946, some chaebol and their descendants dominate the political and business world.

Born in 1957 in Manila, the capital, Marcos Jr. accompanied his father in exile in Hawaii. After returning to Korea in 1991, he served as a member of the House of Representatives, Governor, and Senator in Ilocos Norte, northwest of Luzon Island, where the family's influence is alive. The Duterte family, which is based on the southern island of Mindanao, has been close since President Duterte allowed Marcos to bury his national cemetery in 2016

Date: 2022-05-09

Reporter: 신정훈