Marcos Jr. has ignored the testimonies and documented cases of killings, tortures, and arbitrary arrests during his fathers dictatorship as reported by established human rights institutions. The love for Ferdinand Marcos Sr. is alive!, For sociologist Nicole Curato, the election has been nothing less than a battle for the nations narrative. Marcos Jr.s critics will argue that victory signals democracys failure to hold corrupt politicians accountable, she tells TIME in an email. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. looks set to win the Philippines presidential election, marking the return of the Marcos family to power more than three decades after being forced to flee the . He's the son of a. I was eight years old when it happened, and for a few weeks I didnt have to go to school and there was nothing but cartoons on TV. Filipinos long for strong leaders who can deliver. Marcos Jr. has perfected the art of fabrication and exaggeration, claiming credit where there was none. In unofficial election results announced on Tuesday, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the late Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is leading Leni Robredo, his main rival and leader of the brave yet beleaguered political opposition, by a wide margin. But from 1972 to 1981, Marcos also controlled the Philippines through martial law, which he declared was necessary in order to combat perceived threats to the country from communists and Muslim separatists. Theres been too much talk about an apology from the Marcoses. And so I doubt the Philippines will move towards a 20th century-style dictatorship. Rather than introduce top-down censorship of the press, as his father did during martial law, Marcos Jr.s strategy will likely involve stigmatizing unsympathetic news outlets. 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The heroes of the 1986 EDSA Revolt who ousted Marcos had become the villains, or traitors. It was taken down alongside a pro-China fake account network with origins in China. I see Marcos as merely continuing most of the policies of the Duterte administration, and I would have wanted him to define more his differences from a regime I have learned to dislike over the . Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr., the second child of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, is the presumptive winner of the Philippine presidential election, with U.S. President Joe Biden calling to congratulate him on Thursday. He has been found guilty by a Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals of tax evasion for the billions of pesos in unpaid taxes racked up by the Marcos estate. The economy and markets are "under surveillance". Your subscription could not be saved. Already have Rappler+? Read More: Bongbong Marcos Takes Huge Lead in Philippine Election, Hes a person with a heart, says Reian Azcune, a 20-year-old voter in Rizal province. Here are some of them: Ferdinand Marcos was not the first, or the last, president to abuse his power. Senator Santiago chose Senator Marcos for the simple reason that he has proven to possess the qualities that she values the most. HQ of Philippine carrier Smart padlocked, 12-year-old runs over his father in Saudi Arabia, Body parts of Hong Kong model found in refrigerator, Hundreds of fish 'rained from the sky' in Australia, Video: Two trains collide in Greece, 36 killed, Premier League: Chelsea announce fan advisory board, Art events, outdoor markets and festivals in Dubai, Qatars Emir receives Tahnoun and Mansour, Abdullah bin Zayed chairs G20 Steering Committee meet, Pakistan begins 1st digital population, housing census. All Rights Reserved. He does not attack other candidates. Presidents who came after Marcos certainly ran into this problem. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. The two decades that Ferdinand Marcos Sr. ruled the Philippines unfolded in dramatic fashion, bookended by his propaganda-fueled rise to power in the 1960s and a dark-of-night escape from the country in the 1980s after a nonviolent uprising toppled his authority. Their family has gone from being a plunderer (there are still pending cases against Imelda Marcos and Jr himself) to become heralds of national rebirth. Marcos Jrs commanding leads in most polls todaydoes not surprise political scientists here. The end of the Marcos era was only the beginning of the familys troubles. Sign in to listen to groundbreaking journalism. They make a formidable team, and are headed for a landslide victory in the May 9 polls. In the race to replace outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, the latest polling shows that the 64-year-old Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is maintaining a significant, if slightly receding,. These polling agencies are legit, said Prof. Heydarian, policy adviser and chair of geopolitics at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). Aaron Favila / AP file. But then, once back in school, my schoolmates and I had to learn these new weird songs about the new order and how everything was great about the regime and about Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. Three of these come to mind: (1) His respect and civility toward his official family. Filipino columnist Benjamin Pimentel could only describe this bewildering plot twist in the language of high fantasy: Its as if Kylo Ren emerged and the Empire is back in power., Read More: How TikTok Helped Marcos Rewrite His Familys Brutal Legacy. Many people are voting for Marcos, not because they like Marcos more; they just dont like being told and being treated as bad [people], says Antonio Contreras, a political analyst in Manila. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. The numbers show the jump from the previous polls is not significant. and But now, the Mayor of the southern city of Davao, is campaigning for Marcos, whose family has dominated politics in the countrys north for decades. He may support a stratified media ecosystem, split between friendly organizations granted access to the halls of power and critical ones, banished from Malacanangs antechambers. It underscores how mastery of social media gives one unbridled primacy in monetising message, and shaping public perception. There's more to it. His running-mate, Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, is the daughter of the incumbent president. Canned slogans of unity and positivity during his campaign might mean that he will eschew any high-profile quarrels with rival political families. Misinformation is false information that is spread, regardless of intent to mislead. In this free-for-all, trolls can be at the employ of various entities companies, celebrities, opposition politicians and the government, and trolls trolling trolls. You just wont find such an act of defiance in other places. So its very hard for them to counter-check claims circulating on the internet, given their limited access to actual content, or fact-check sites, for example. Their son, Bongbong Marcos, is at far right. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital One thing became clear during the Marcos years: Even during dark times, Filipinos can still maintain a healthy sense of humor. The Marcos family returned from exile in 1991 and began to astutely revamp its image. If you mention Marcos anywhere in the world, for better or for worse, there is at least a vague knowledge perhaps about the shoes, Villaraza said. That makes them vulnerable to disinformation and fake news. Manhit said candidates apart from Marcos Jr. should focus on building on their own strengths instead of hoping for a Duterte endorsement. If Sara wins the vice-presidency, too, then the country could have another woman in its long line of top political posts. But even before the People Power Revolt, during the darkest days of dictatorship, Filipinos were already coming up with creative ways to defy the regime. Read More: The Philippines Problem With Dynastic Politics. Add languages. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, speaks during a rally as he campaigns for the presidency on Feb. 19, 2022 in Caloocan, Metro Manila, Philippines. He was so good with his Marcos impersonation, that during the critical hours of the People Power Revolt, when the dictator appeared on TV to prove he was still in charge, there were those who believed it was a ploy with the popular comedian in the starring role. Bongbong, wearing a golden crown, rides on a white stallion . Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has promised the Philippine people "unifying leadership," despite his family's dark and divisive legacy. Hundreds of pro-Marcos Youtube videos had been fact-checked, and taken down from the popular video sharing platform controlled by US-based Google/Alphabet. Even historians are bewildered at this reversal of narratives. He was special assistant to his father in 1979 and later, vice governor then governor of their bailiwick, Ilocos Norte. Marcos Jr could yet be disqualified, thus paving the way for Leni Robredo to become the Philippines third woman president, but the numbers are stacked against her. Given his record of delaying and obstructing the return of ill-gotten wealth to our country, it is hard to imagine that he can lead efforts to repay the trillions of pesos that the Philippines now owes, in large part due to the pandemic-induced downturn in our economy. Erik Ortiz is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital focusing on racial injustice and social inequality. Bongbong Marcos himself, who was convicted for tax evasion in 1997, did not go to jail for it after an appeals court modified the ruling. Marcos and his sister, Senator Imee Marcos, have also accused social media giant Facebook of bias in its choice of fact-checking organizations. The anti-oligarch sentiment runs deep. The Uniteam is a formidable force in the elections not only because of its 2022 ticket. He got the highest percentage in the characteristics that. # marcos # era "the golden age of the armed forces of the philippines (afp), marcos era: 1970's - 1980's". A recent investigation found that newly-made Twitter accounts were used to promote the dictators son and attack critics in the lead-up to elections. Marcos imposed nationwide martial law in September 1972 in response to escalating protests from civil libertarians and threats of communist insurgency. For too long, progressives have taken for granted that facts in themselves are sufficient. Despite this message, he has become the most divisive candidate in the race. In this battle of perceptions, MarcosJr's new-foundform and high numbers have left other camps stumped. He got the highest percentage in the characteristics that mattered to voters most then: concern for the poor (29%), honest and trustworthy (32%), and not corrupt (28%). Instead of differentiating themselves by highlighting their record and capabilities, other candidates have engaged in a pack attack to try and take Marcos Jr down. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Its an indictment on the complete failure of the Philippines to institute rule of law, Heydarian, the political science professor, saysadding that it also shows the countrys failure to confront its dark past. Former dictator Ferdinand Marcos's son 'Bongbong' is on course to become the president of the Philippines in May 2022. . Dr. Protesters raise clinched fists as they hold banners with anti-Marcos slogans during a demonstration to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the People Power Revolution in 1986 that ousted the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in front of the People Power monument in Quezon City, suburban Manila on Feb. 25, 2022. Marcos Jr.s opponents repeatedly bring up his fathers legacy, but experts say that is backfiring. He has withheld the truth about the Marcos plunder before and during martial rule, which he has misrepresented as a "golden era." He knows from multiple accounts that these illicit funds are diversions made from foreign economic aid, US military assistance, and from public and private sources. The narrative today is Filipinos have come to take it as a given that all their politicians steal anyway. Magazines, Digital Voters have been swayed by his decision to stay out of the mudslinging, and they approve of his promise to unite the country while continuing with the legacy of Rodrigo Duterte. If you look at how he crafted his campaign, Rafael said, they were very good at playing the long game.. Xi and Biden were among the first world leaders to congratulate Marcos Jr. on his apparent election win, suggesting the two rivals view the Philippines as a pivotal linchpin in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region. Performance & security by Cloudflare. To be honest, I dont think attacking Marcos (Jr) will be very useful, for the (opposition) campaign anymore. Envoy: Japan, Australia may join patrols with US, PH. You have a succession of administrations which really came short of fulfilling the fundamental ideals and aspirations of the Filipino people, which was expressed in the 1986 revolution, says Richard Heydarian, a professor of political science and Asian geopolitics expert based in Manila. The battle has since moved to Tik-tok, owned by Chinas ByteDance. The political is personal in the Philippines and vice versa; no felt connection to that time period, coupled with the lack of learning about martial law in school curriculum, created a chasm waiting to be filled with the loudest perspectives.. Read this in The Manila Times digital edition. Marcos, the only son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., is the presidential candidate of Uniteam, an alliance that brings together the biggest and most prominent clans in Philippine politics. The total national loss from November 1965 was believed to be $5$10 billion. In recent years, many analysts have unfairly caricatured the so-called surprise electoral victories of populist leaders as the result of uneducated voters brainwashed by disinformation. But historians say any analysis of the Philippines future with a Marcos scion at the helm would ring hollow without a critical eye toward the past. The Php15.44-million peso (About $297,800) cash bond for the recount nearly bankrupted the Robredo family, known for their rather modest means. He embodied the best in the modern Philippine leader and was the nearest epitome of a great president. In turning down a one-on-one interview with Jessica Soho, Marcos Jr.s camp pointed to the veteran journalists supposed bias against him. You cant really blame him the focus in media and social media has been on the abuses during Marcos 21 years in power. Based on a Pulse Asia survey held from January 19 to 24, inflation, workers pay, poverty, graft & corruption, and job creation were the biggest issues for voters. She's been a journalist since 2011 and has written about Congress, the national police, and the Liberal Party for Rappler. Afghan Girls Contemplate a Future Without Schools, The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. By providing an email address. Many kept these claims alive on social media, and within his self-reinforcing silo of followers. And no talk means no mistake. But then again, after what Marcos did, Filipinos are rightfully suspicious of anyone wanting to fool around with laws meant to prevent power-hungry politicians. He has teamed up with the daughter of outgoing populist President Rodrigo Duterte, Sara Duterte, who is running for vice-president. MANILA, Philippines In choosing the next president, Filipinos consider many things: concern for the poor, trustworthiness, an untainted reputation, a clear program of action, and experience in governance, to name a few. So far, this tack has failed to chip away his numbers. 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