With more than 95% of the votes counted, Marcos Jr has about 30 million votes, more than double that of his closest rival, the outgoing Vice President Leni Robredo, who has about 14 million votes, according to a partial and unofficial tally of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), reported by CNN affiliate CNN Philippines. Official results, however, could take weeks to be confirmed.
Known as “Bongbong” in the Philippines, Marcos Jr is the son of Ferdinand Marcos Sr, whose 21-year rule was marked by human rights abuses and widespread corruption. Analysts say Marcos Jr’s rise is the culmination of a decades-long attempt to rebrand the Marcos family’s name and image, most recently through social media.
The former senator thanked his supporters for their belief in him in a speech late on Monday.
“Even though the counting is not over yet, I cannot wait to thank all of you… to those who helped, to those who joined our fight, to those who sacrificed,” he said.
Marcos Jr’s running mate for…
