Marcos Jr leads Philippines presidential race in raucous election campaign season

Manila

PHILIPPINE election candidates will hit the hustings on Tuesday (Feb 8) for the official start of campaigning, with the son and namesake of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos leading the presidential race as he seeks the ultimate revival of the family brand.

Political scions, celebrities and ex-convicts are among the contenders vying for more than 18,000 posts in the May 9 polls, with most interest on the contest to succeed authoritarian firebrand Rodrigo Duterte, whose 6-year presidency has been marked by foul-mouthed tirades and a deadly drug war.

More than 35 years after the Philippines emerged from his father's dictatorship, voter surveys show Ferdinand Marcos Jr heading towards a landslide victory as a massive social media campaign cranks up support and, critics say, whitewashes the clan's history.

Boosted by a formidable alliance with first daughter and vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte, Marcos Jr - one of the most polarising figures in the Philippines - has vowed "to unify the country and give our fellowmen the future that they deserve".

In the Philippines, the president and vice-president are elected separately.

Outgoing presidents usually identify their preferred successor, whom they hope will keep them out of prison as much as protect their legacy.

But Duterte has been silent since his choice, loyal aide Senator Christopher Go, pulled out of the contest.

Some analysts are still cautious about calling a winner in a race that only requires the victor to get more votes than anyone else.

Vice-President Leni Robredo - the opposition candidate and nemesis of both Marcos Jr and Duterte - is a distant second, ahead of celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso, retired boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and ex-police chief Panfilo Lacson.

Victory for Marcos Jr would mark the ultimate political comeback for his controversial clan, which was chased into US exile after the patriarch's humiliating downfall in 1986.

The dictator oversaw widespread human rights abuses to maintain his control of the country and enable his massive plundering, with thousands of people killed or tortured, previous Philippine governments said.

Marcos Jr has tried to defend his father's rule by citing economic growth, and minimised the human rights abuses during that regime.

Robredo, who narrowly defeated Marcos Jr in the 2016 vice-presidential race, entered the presidential contest following pressure from supporters and opposition groups.

While her volunteer-driven campaign has struck a chord with progressives, her mild-mannered personality is hurting her appeal in the deeply macho country.

University of the Philippines political science professor Jean Franco said: "We want a leader who is feisty." AFP