Ferdinand Marcos Jr. poised to win Filipino presidency

Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the late Filipino dictator, is set to become the next president of the Philippines with nearly 60% of the vote so far.

Ten candidates vied Monday to replace current Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, who is known for his controversial positions on COVID-19, communists, and drugs, among other things.

Filipino outlet Rappler reports that with about 95% of precincts reporting, Marcos has 59% of the vote. Vice President Leni Robredo is coming in second to Marcos with 28% of the vote. Championship boxer Manny Pacquiao, who has been serving as a senator in the Philippines, is in third with less than 7% of the vote.

The current president's daughter, Sara Duterte, appears likely to win the vice presidency with 61% support.

Her candidacy comes despite her father's statements that she would not run for office and that the presidency is "not for women" due to their "emotional set-up," Reuters reported last year.

If Marcos wins the presidency, he would return to the Malacañang Palace more than three decades since his father's ousting, the BBC reported. While president, Marcos Sr. imposed martial law in the Philippines and cracked down on dissidents. He and his wife Imelda were famous for their lavish spending and corruption, with an estimated $10 billion disappearing from public funds.