Strong voter turnout in Philippines as Marcos targets presidency

Philippine voters streamed to polling stations on Monday, with the prospect of a once-unthinkable return to rule of a member of the Marcos family, 36 years after strongman Ferdinand Marcos was ousted in a "people power" uprising.

The presidential election pits Vice President Leni Robredo against former senator and congressman Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the dictator whose two decade rule ended in a public revolt and his family's humiliating retreat into exile.

Around 18,000 posts, from the vice presidency, seats in the Senate and the House of Representatives to mayors, governors and councillors are also up for grabs.

Opinion polls put Marcos, popularly known as "Bongbong", leading his rival by over 30 percentage points in the presidential race, having topped every poll this year. That means Robredo will need a late surge or low turnout if she is to win.

Voters started lining up long before polls opened at 6 am, with polling stations due to operate for longer than usual because of COVID-19 precautions. Polls close at 7 pm and an unofficial vote count could give an indication of the winner within hours.

Marcos, 64, cast his ballot in his home province of Ilocos Norte, surrounded by bodyguards and accompanied by family members, including his son who is running for congress.

Marcos has presented no real policy platform but his presidency is expected to provide continuity from outgoing leader Rodrigo Duterte, whose ruthless, strongman approach proved popular and helped him to consolidate power rapidly.

His daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is tipped to win the vice presidency. Although the president and vice president are elected separately, Marcos and Duterte-Carpio are aligned.

Election Commissioner George Erwin Garcia said he was "overwhelmed' by the number of voters flocking to polling centres despite the pandemic threat.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it has not received reports of any major issues on the ground so far, but there were minor delays to voting in some precincts in the restive southern region of Mindanao.

Separately, police said three members of a local peacekeeping force were shot dead by unidentified assailants near a polling station in Maguindanao province in Mindanao.

The poll body is due to announce a ruling on Tuesday on appeals to overturn earlier decisions to dismiss four disqualification petitions against Marcos.

(Reuters)