67 million people are voting for a successor to outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte. The son of a former dictator has the best chance.
Voters crowd May 9 at a polling station set up at a school in Quezon.
(dpa)
The eagerly awaited presidential election in the Philippines has begun. Since early Monday morning (local time), 67 million eligible voters have been called upon to nominate a successor to outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte.
In polls, the son of the late ex-dictator Ferdinand Marcos was ahead of Vice President and opposition leader Leni Robredo. If Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wins, his family would return to Manila’s Malacañang Palace 36 years after their expulsion.
Police and military were on standby because elections in the Philippines are often overshadowed by violence and allegations of fraud. Duterte had declared Monday an extraordinary holiday in advance so that as many people as possible could take part.
A total of nine candidates and one female candidate are applying for the office. The election wins who gets the most votes. Polling stations are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. (midnight to 1 p.m. CEST). The first results are expected in the evening or on Tuesday morning.