Marcos son seeks recount of Philippine VP vote

Former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr and son of late former dictator Ferdinand Marcos is greeted by his supporters upon his arrival at the Supreme Court in metro Manila. Picture: Romeo Ranoco/Reuters

Former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr and son of late former dictator Ferdinand Marcos is greeted by his supporters upon his arrival at the Supreme Court in metro Manila. Picture: Romeo Ranoco/Reuters

Published Apr 17, 2017

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Manila - The son of former Philippine

dictator Ferdinand Marcos on Monday took a step towards securing

a recount of votes in an election for vice president last year

in which he says he was unfairly robbed of victory.

The son, also called Ferdinand Marcos but popularly known as

Bongbong, lost the election for vice president last May to

social activist and lawyer Leni Robredo by about 260,000 votes.

He has objected to the result ever since and the Supreme

Court ruled in February that his protest was valid, but he has

to pay for a recount of the votes.

On Monday, he deposited about 36 million pesos ($728,500) as

payment for a recount of votes in 42 percent of polling

precincts.

"It's good I have kind-hearted friends. They believe in my

election protest because it is right, just and fair," Marcos

told reporters after signing a check.

He did not elaborate on his friends.

Robredo's relationship with President Rodrigo Duterte is far

from close and he has frequently made jokes in public at her

expense.

She has been critical of some of his policies, including his

deadly war on drugs, and delivered a video message to a U.N.

human rights conference in Geneva last month.

She also opposed the burial of the late dictator Marcos at a

heroes' cemetery.

Last year, Duterte instructed aides to tell Robredo to cease

attending his Cabinet meetings, prompting her to resign as

housing minister, though she remained vice president.

Rumors have swirled that Duterte favors Marcos but Duterte

has denied he is trying to oust Robredo. Presidents and vice

presidents are elected separately in the Philippines.

Marcos has until July 14 to pay another 30 million pesos to

complete recounting votes in more than 39,000 polling precincts

nationwide.

He said vote-counting machines were manipulated to favour of

Robredo. She has challenged his protest in the high court saying

he had not specifically said where the supposed irregularities

took place.

Duterte's father, a former governor in Mindanao province,

served under the elder Marcos when he was first elected

president in 1965.

Marcos was ousted in protests in 1986 and died in Hawaii in

1989. 

Reuters

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