Dictator’s Son Runs for President of the Philippines

Manila, Philippines —(Map)

Several candidates are running in next Monday’s election for president of the Philippines. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.* is currently leading the race. That has some people worried, since Mr. Marcos’s father was a brutal dictator in the Philippines for 20 years.

Monday’s election will decide who becomes president of the Philippines for the next six years. It will also choose the vice-president. Ten candidates are running for president, but the two most likely to win are Mr. Marcos and the country’s current vice president, Leni Robredo.

Mr. Marcos, who goes by the nickname “Bongbong”, is leading. Recent polls show that about 56% of the voters support him. Ms. Robredo is his closest rival. Polls suggest that about 23% support Ms. Robredo.

Mr. Marcos is the only son of Ferdinand Marcos Sr., a brutal leader who controlled the Philippines from 1965 until he was forced out in 1986. Under the military rule of the older Mr. Marcos, tens of thousands of people were arrested and tortured, and thousands were killed. Through corruption, Mr. Marcos and his family became incredibly rich. They are believed to have stolen as much as $10 billion.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was a brutal leader who controlled the Philippines from 1965 until 1986. Under Mr. Marcos, thousands of people were arrested, tortured, and killed. Mr. Marcos and his family became incredibly rich. Above, Mr. Marcos Sr. and his wife, Imelda in 1977.

The younger Mr. Marcos has had his own problems. In 1995, he was found guilty of avoiding paying taxes. He and his family still owe millions in taxes. Mr. Marcos could be arrested if he travels to the United States for ignoring a court order to pay people who were hurt by his father’s actions.

Mr. Marcos has largely refused to give interviews or debate other candidates. Instead, he and his team have used social media  to connect with voters. Mr. Marcos has been accused of spreading false information in his efforts to make the older Mr. Marcos’s leadership seem like a “golden age” for the Philippines.

But it seems to be working. Many younger voters don’t know much about what life was like under Mr. Marcos Sr. That’s partly because the harsh actions of Mr. Marcos Sr. aren’t well-covered by history books in the Philippines.

Mr. Marcos has largely refused to give interviews or debate other candidates. Instead, he and his team have used social media to connect with voters. Many people worry that if Mr. Marcos is elected, he will work to cover up his father’s brutal history.

Many people worry that if Mr. Marcos is elected, he will work to cover up his father’s brutal history. It would also make it much less likely that the Philippines government would get back money stolen by Mr. Marcos’s family.

Mr. Marcos is running with Sara Duterte. She’s the daughter of the current president, Rodrigo Duterte. She considered running for president, but chose to run for vice-president instead. Having Ms. Duterte work with him instead of against him has helped Mr. Marcos greatly.

Ms. Robredo, Mr. Marcos’s strongest challenger, is the only woman in the race. Many of those who support her are young people. Support from young people will be important, since at least half of the voters in the Philippines are between the ages of 18 and 35.

Ms. Robredo, Mr. Marcos’s strongest challenger, is the only woman in the race. She’s a lawyer who has worked to protect human rights, Ms. Robredo beat Mr. Marcos in the race for vice president six years ago. But this time, his lead is much larger.

Still, Ms. Robredo has gained a lot of strong supporters. Many of those who support her are young people. Support from young people will be important, since at least half of the voters in the Philippines are between the ages of 18 and 35.

---

Did You Know…?
Two of the other candidates in the Philippines election for president include world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao, and the current mayor of Manila, Isko Moreno, who was a famous Filipino movie star in the 1990s.

* “Junior” (Jr.) is used to help tell a son apart from a father who shares the same name. “Senior” (Sr.) is used to describe the father.