More than 60,000 soldiers and police were deployed to protect polling stations on the eve of the presidential election, which could bring the Marcos dynasty back to power.
According to officials, there are about 48,000 soldiers and 16,000 police surrounding the archipelago. We are confident that we will have safe and orderly electionssaid armed forces spokesman Colonel Ramon Zagala.
More than 18,000 positions, from president to municipal councilors, are ready for election. And the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos should win the presidential election hands down, according to polls.
A vote victory on Monday would set in decades of efforts to rehabilitate the legacy of his father, the dictator Marcos who was overthrown in 1986 and died in exile in the United States.
During his two decades in power, Ferdinand Marcos’ security forces killed, tortured, tortured, harmed, or arbitrarily detained approximately 70,000 opponents, Amnesty International estimates.
Under the regime, more than $ 10 billion was stolen from the state coffers. Upon their return to the country, no family member was imprisoned and there are those who hold political office to this day.
And now the polls, which predict that Marcos ’son will win with an absolute majority, are worrying many.
In other countries, dictators have turned their backs on the wall. It did not happen [aux Philippines] said Bonifacio Ilagan, a former political prisoner who was imprisoned for two years in Marcos’ prisons and repeatedly tortured.
On the side of rights groups, Catholic Church leaders and opponents see these elections as a decisive moment for the country’s democracy and fear that Marcos Junior will rule with an iron fist.
A scary comeback
Ferdinand Marcos Junior’s reluctance to admit his family’s controversial history and his refusal to admit the crimes that took place under his father’s leadership raised fears that he would repeat it.
His campaign was aired countless historical lies about what happened in the Philippines between 1965 and 1986, said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan.
The current election campaign is supported by a massive disinformation campaign on social media describing the dictatorship as a golden age of peace and economic growth, which has convinced millions of people, especially a population too young to recognize the regime.
It is not enough to change the person in the presidential palace. The important thing is to have a big change for most peoplesaid Judy Taguiwalo, an anti-Marcos activist who was twice arrested and tortured.
Elections, synonymous with violence
Elections are typically a volatile time in a country with loose gun laws and a violent political culture. Despite 16 incidents, including 4 shootings, which have occurred since January 9 in connection with the election, the national police judged this season to be relatively peaceful.
In comparison, in the 2016 and 2019 elections, there were 133 and 60 violent incidents respectively.
Police spokesman Colonel Jean Fajardo attributed the sharp decline to the increasing presence of security services, as well as military and police operations targeting guns and private armed groups.
The electoral commission has further banned the carrying of weapons during the election, which will last until June 8.
Source: Radio-Canada
