Sons of former dictator and investigator in The Hague are favorites in Philippine elections


Posters in Manila with electoral propaganda by Bongbong Marcos, the BBM, son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and leader in polls for president in the Philippines| Photo: EFE/EPA/ROLEX DELA PENA
Everything in the Philippine presidential election, which will be held next Monday (9), harks back to the past. The dispute between Ferdinand Marcos Jr., known as Bongbong Marcos or BBM, and Leni Robredo repeats the fight for the vice-presidency of the country in 2016 (in the Philippines, elections for president and vice president are separate), won by lawyer and activist from 57 years old.
Another reference to the past is the candidacy for vice president of Sara Duterte, daughter of the current president, Rodrigo Duterte, who by law cannot be reelected.
2022The deepest reference, however, is BBM’s ancestry: supported by Sara in the presidential race, he is son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the country between 1965 and and whose legacy is an open wound in the public life of the Philippines.
In addition to leading a repressive regime, Marcos was known for corruption: it is estimated that he has embezzled up to US$ 10 billions from the public coffers during the period in which she ruled the country, and the gigantic collection of shoes that First Lady Imelda Marcos (BBM’s mother) amassed while a large part of the population lived in poverty became a source of joke/indignation around the world.