Bongbong Marcos, On The Verge Of Becoming Philippines Next President

Ferdinand Marcos Jr is set to replace outgoing Duterte as the next President of the country

The 2022 Philippine presidential elections are on the verge of installing the son of former dictator Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. The disgraced dictator served as the country’s tenth president from 1965 to 1986.

During his 20-year reign, most of them were under martial law and later fled the country in fear of an uprising. The Marcos family were exiled to Hawaii due to safety concerns for their lives. The family has reportedly stolen approximately $10 billion US dollars from the Philippine National bank and used to live a life of luxury while the country fell deeper into economic crisis.

Over 65 million Filipino voters have registered in today’s election, and according to exit polls, more than half will vote to install another member of Marco’s family as its next president.

In 1935 the Philippine Constitution imposed a one-term six limit for the country’s president without the chance of re-election. In 1940, a constitutional amendment allowed the president and vice-president to serve two four-year terms.

Over the next several decades, the country’s constitution will go through several amendments with varying term limits. However, it was not until 1987 that the government restored its original ban on presidents serving more than one six-year term.

The presidential term limit is a vital stopgap mechanism from having long-term dictators to outgoing President Duterte. The country has had many successions of presidents that had a me-first approach. And with another Marcos set to rule the country, troubled waters will not lie still.

Image source Marcos Twitter Feed