Sharjha24 – AFP: The son of late Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos won a landslide presidential election victory Tuesday, as Filipino voters dismissed warnings his rise could put their fragile democracy at risk.
With more than 90 percent of an initial count concluded, Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Junior had secured almost 30 million votes, more than double the tally of his nearest rival, liberal candidate Leni Robredo.
That unassailable lead spells another astonishing turnaround for the fortunes of the Marcos clan, who have gone from the presidential palace to pariahs and back again in the space of half a century.
In 1986, Marcos senior and notoriously kleptocratic first lady Imelda Marcos were chased into exile by the "People Power" revolution.
Marcos junior's campaign was marked by a relentless online whitewashing of his family's brutal and corrupt regime, as well as an embrace of current authoritarian president Rodrigo Duterte, who retains widespread popular support.
Rights activists, Catholic leaders and political analysts had all warned Marcos Jr could rule with an even heavier fist if he wins by a large margin.
Delivering a late-night address from his campaign headquarters in Manila, a tired but beaming Marcos thanked volunteers for months of "sacrifices and work".
But he stopped short of claiming victory, warning that "the count is not yet done".
"Let's wait until it's very clear, until the count reaches a hundred percent then we can celebrate."
Outside, euphoric supporters set off fireworks, waved the national flag and clambered onto parked cars to chant in victory.
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