The 2022 presidential campaign of Bongbong Marcos began on October 6, 2021, when he filed his candidacy for the
2022 Philippine presidential election
The 2022 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on May 9, 2022, as part of the 2022 general election. This was the 17th direct presidential election and 16th vice presidential election in the Philippines since 1935, ...
under the
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas ( en, Federal Party of the Philippines; PFP) is a national political party in the Philippines. It is chaired by Bongbong Marcos, president of the Philippines who won by a landslide in the 2022 election. During the r ...
.
Bongbong Marcos
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...
, a former
senator of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines (Filipino: ''Senado ng Pilipinas'', also ''Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas'' or "upper chamber") is the upper house of Congress of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines with the House of Representatives as ...
from 2010 to 2016, is the son of former president
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
.
Despite losing in the
2016 Philippine vice presidential election and his subsequent electoral protest, Marcos expressed his interest in running again for a national position in 2022. After being nominated by several parties, Marcos officially announced his candidacy on October 5, 2021, and filed his candidacy a day later. Marcos later selected Duterte's daughter and incumbent
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of
Davao City
Davao City, officially the City of Davao ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dabaw; ), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of lan ...
since 2016,
Sara Duterte
Sara Vicenta Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio (, ; born May 31, 1978), commonly known as Inday Sara, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who is the 15th and current vice president of the Philippines. She is the third female vice president, the third ...
, as his vice presidential running mate. An
electoral alliance
An electoral alliance (also known as a bipartisan electoral agreement, electoral pact, electoral agreement, electoral coalition or electoral bloc) is an association of political party, political parties or individuals that exists solely to stand ...
for their campaign, called the
UniTeam Alliance
The UniTeam Alliance is an electoral alliance in the Philippines formed to support the candidacies of Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte in the 2022 presidential and vice-presidential elections and their allies in the 2022 Philippine general el ...
, was formed on November 29, 2021.
Their campaign was officially launched on February 8, 2022 at the
Philippine Arena
The Philippine Arena is the world's largest indoor arena. It is a multipurpose indoor arena with a maximum seating capacity of 55,000 at Ciudad de Victoria, a 140-hectare tourism enterprise zone in Bocaue and Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippin ...
.
Marcos ran on a platform that promised broad continuity of incumbent president
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
's policies, such as infrastructure development and his foreign policy, alongside some of Duterte's controversial programs. His campaign's messaging was also mainly focused on uniting the country. His candidacy faced staunch opposition from various groups, particularly due to
his father's regime, marked by
widespread corruption and
human rights abuses
Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hum ...
.
There were also several petitions against his bid, many of which are based on his
1995 conviction for failing to file tax returns.
The petitions were denied by the
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
and the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.
Marcos won the election in a
landslide victory
A landslide victory is an election result in which the victorious candidate or party wins by an overwhelming margin. The term became popular in the 1800s to describe a victory in which the opposition is "buried", similar to the way in which a geol ...
, garnering 58.77% of the vote with a margin of 30.83% over the second placer,
Leni Robredo
Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
She was the wife of the late Jesse ...
. Marcos became the first majority president since the establishment of the Fifth Republic in
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
**Spain and Portugal ente ...
, winning the largest majority since
1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
(although the opposition boycotted that election), and since
1969 for a competitive election. He is also the second president from
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Norte, officially the Province of Ilocos Norte ( ilo, Probinsia ti Ilocos Norte; tl, Lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte), is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region. Its capital is Laoag City, located in the northwest corner of ...
after his father. Meanwhile, his running mate, Duterte, also became the first majority vice president of the Fifth Republic, winning the largest majority since
1969 and garnering the most votes for any office in a single-winner election in Philippine history. Together, they are the first presidential ticket to win together since
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
.
Background
2016 vice presidential campaign and electoral protest
Marcos ran in the
2016 Philippine vice presidential election as the running mate of
Miriam Defensor Santiago
Miriam Palma Defensor-Santiago (''née'' Defensor; June 15, 1945 – September 29, 2016) was a Filipino scholar, academic, lawyer, judge, author, and stateswoman who served in all three branches of the Philippine government: judicial, executiv ...
. A highly contested race, Marcos ultimately lost to then congresswoman
Leni Robredo
Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
She was the wife of the late Jesse ...
by 263,473 votes or by 0.64 percent,
the narrowest margin since the
1965 vice presidential election. Marcos subsequently filed an electoral protest on June 29, 2016; this would be dismissed by the
Presidential Electoral Tribunal
The Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) is an electoral tribunal that decides election protests involving the election of the President of the Philippines and Vice President of the Philippines. It is composed of justices of the Supreme Court o ...
on February 16, 2021.
Speculation and nominations
By January 2020,
Bongbong Marcos
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...
confirmed that he was running for a national position in 2022, although he did not specify a specific position.
On September 21, 2021, the
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas ( en, Federal Party of the Philippines; PFP) is a national political party in the Philippines. It is chaired by Bongbong Marcos, president of the Philippines who won by a landslide in the 2022 election. During the r ...
(PFP; ) nominated Marcos to run for president. During the national convention of the
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL; ) in
Binangonan
Binangonan, officially the Municipality of Binangonan ( tgl, Bayan ng Binangonan) is a 1st class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 313,631 people.
A thriving fish port and f ...
, the party founded by his father, he was nominated as the party's candidate for president. Marcos, who remained a member of the
Nacionalista Party
The Nacionalista Party (Filipino and Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; ) is the oldest political party in both the Philippines and in Southeast Asia in general. It is responsible for leading the country throughout the majority of the 20th ce ...
, thanked KBL for the nomination, but said that he would announce his plans "when the time comes."
Campaign
Announcement
On October 5, Marcos announced his presidential candidacy.
Marcos then resigned from the Nacionalistas and was sworn in at the PFP chairman.
Marcos ultimately filed his presidential candidacy under the PFP on October 6.
According to his wife, Liza, Marcos was watching
Ant-Man
Ant-Man is the name of several superheroes appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Ant-Man's first appearance was in ''Tales to Astonish'' #27 (January 1962) but first appeared in costum ...
, a movie about an ex-convict thief turned
Avenger
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...
superhero
A superhero or superheroine is a stock character that typically possesses ''superpowers'', abilities beyond those of ordinary people, and fits the role of the hero, typically using his or her powers to help the world become a better place, ...
, when he told her "Okay, we're gonna do this... run for the presidency".
Running mate
Davao City
Davao City, officially the City of Davao ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Dabaw; ), is a first class highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of lan ...
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
Sara Duterte
Sara Vicenta Zimmerman Duterte-Carpio (, ; born May 31, 1978), commonly known as Inday Sara, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who is the 15th and current vice president of the Philippines. She is the third female vice president, the third ...
was previously seen as President Duterte's successor, particularly after her role as a powerbroker in the
midterms. On July 9, 2021, Duterte stated that she is open to running for president. However, despite being a frontrunner in early opinion polls, she did not file a candidacy for a national position; she instead ran for re-election in the Davao mayoral race. On November 9, Duterte withdrew her candidacy for re-election as Davao City mayor. Two days later, she resigned from her regional party and joined the
Lakas–CMD
Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats, abbreviated as Lakas–CMD and also known simply as Lakas, is a political party in the Philippines. Lakas–CMD is considered to sit on the centre-right of the political spectrum, and is influenced by Christi ...
, a national party. On November 13, she launched her run for the vice presidency under Lakas–CMD by substituting Lyle Uy, who withdrew from the race. Shortly after the announcement, Marcos' party adopted her as their candidate for vice president.
On November 16, Sara Duterte confirmed she had sought support from political parties for her and Marcos' bids in the 2022 elections. Hours later, Marcos said in a statement that, "Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and I have finished the process for the partnership that our supporters have been hoping for — BBM-Sara for 2022."
UniTeam Alliance
Formed on November 29, 2021, the UniTeam Alliance is a loose electoral coalition supporting the candidacies of Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte in the 2022 presidential elections. The alliance is composed of four political parties, the
Hugpong ng Pagbabago
Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP; ) is a regional political party and former political alliance in the Philippines. Formed in 2018 by Sara Duterte, the party was established in support of President Rodrigo Duterte's administration, and was the administrat ...
,
Lakas-CMD,
Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino
The Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (), formerly ''Partido ng Masang Pilipino'' (), is a populist political party in the Philippines. It is the political party of former Philippine President Joseph E. Estrada. In the May 1998 presidential election, ...
, and with
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas ( en, Federal Party of the Philippines; PFP) is a national political party in the Philippines. It is chaired by Bongbong Marcos, president of the Philippines who won by a landslide in the 2022 election. During the r ...
as its convenor.
Branding
Marcos' messaging is centered on nationalism and uniting the country, emphasizing the need for unity to recover from the pandemic.
His campaign slogan, "''Sama-sama tayong babangon muli''" (Together, we shall rise again), also reflects this message.
The colors predominantly used by the campaign are red and green; red is associated with the
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, the party of former president
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
, his father, while green is the campaign color of Duterte. Supporters of the tandem also use the
V sign
The ''V sign'' is a hand gesture in which the index and middle fingers are raised and parted to make a V shape while the other fingers are clenched. It has various meanings, depending on the circumstances and how it is presented.
When displa ...
, which symbolizes political victory and is associated with the
Marcos family
The Marcos family ( , , ) is a political family in the Philippines. They have established themselves in the country's politics, having established a political dynasty that traces its beginnings to the 1925 election of Mariano Marcos to the Phi ...
. Songs frequently used during the campaign include "Umagang Kay Ganda" by Butch Monserrat and the
New Society
''New Society'' was a weekly magazine of social inquiry and social and cultural comment, published in the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1988. It drew on the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, psychology, human geography, social history and so ...
era song "
Bagong Pagsilang
"Bagong Pagsilang" ( en, New Birth Rebirth), also known as "Bagong Lipunan" ( en, New Society) and the "March of the New Society", is a Filipino song commissioned during the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos that explicitly extols the Kilusang B ...
" by Levi Celerio.
Rallies
On December 9, 2021, Marcos and his running mate, Sara Duterte, held a "grand caravan" across Metro Manila. Due to the influx of supporters, the motorcade caused heavy traffic along
Commonwealth Avenue.
While most tickets had their proclamation rallies in the respective hometowns of the presidential candidate, the Marcos and Duterte tandem started their campaign at the
Philippine Arena
The Philippine Arena is the world's largest indoor arena. It is a multipurpose indoor arena with a maximum seating capacity of 55,000 at Ciudad de Victoria, a 140-hectare tourism enterprise zone in Bocaue and Santa Maria, Bulacan, Philippin ...
in
Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Metr ...
. The Marcos campaign explained that they chose the Philippine Arena so as to seat their thousands of supporters, of which 25,000 tickets were made available.
On April 1, nine days before the start of overseas voting, the UniTeam tandem held a virtual miting de avance for
Overseas Filipino Worker
Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) is a term often used to refer to Filipino migrant workers, people with Filipino citizenship who reside in another country for a limited period of employment. The number of these workers was roughly 1.77 million be ...
s (OFWs). Marcos held his miting de avance in Parañaque in which 1,000,000 supporters showed up in support.
Some of Marcos' rallies have been controversial. A scheduled campaign rally was supposed to be held in
Antique
An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...
on February 24 but was postponed after residents reportedly protested against the rally. During a UniTeam rally in Nueva Ecija, reports emerged of people receiving envelopes of cash after the event. The
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
(COMELEC) stated they will launch an investigation if there are formal evidence and complainants.
The local government later clarified that it was distributing cash aid and that it was scheduled after the rally on the same venue, while the PFP denied claims that it was engaging in
vote buying Vote buying (also referred to as electoral clientelism and patronage politics) occurs when a political party or candidate distributes money or resources to a voter in an upcoming election with the expectation that the voter votes for the actor handi ...
.
On April 2, Marcos held rallies in
Tarlac
Tarlac, officially the Province of Tarlac ( pam, Lalawigan ning Tarlac; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Tarlac; ilo, Probinsia ti Tarlac; tgl, Lalawigan ng Tarlac; ), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. It ...
; his rally in
Tarlac City
Tarlac City, officially the City of Tarlac ( pam, Lakanbalen ning Tarlac; pag, Siyudad na Tarlac; ilo, Siudad ti Tarlac; fil, Lungsod ng Tarlac ), is a 1st class component city and capital of the province of Tarlac, Philippines. According to ...
attracted controversy after a statue of
Benigno Aquino Jr.
Benigno "Ninoy" Simeon Aquino Jr., (; November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983) was a Filipino politician who served as a senator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province of Tarlac. Aquino was the husband of Corazon Aqui ...
, one of the leaders against his father's regime, was blocked by a tent.
Polling
Before the filing of candidacies, Marcos mostly polled behind his running mate, Duterte. The earliest
Pulse Asia
Pulse Asia Research Inc. is a public opinion polling body in the Philippines. It was founded by Professor Emeritus Felipe B. Miranda (M.A. Political Science, University of Chicago) of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
Pulse Asia Inc. wa ...
survey, conducted on November 23 to December 2, 2020, showed Marcos garnering 14 percentage points, 12 points behind Duterte.
After Duterte did not run for president, Marcos' numbers significantly increased. The October 2021
Social Weather Stations
The Social Weather Stations or SWS is a social research institution in the Philippines founded in August 1985. It is a private, non-stock, nonprofit institution. It is the foremost public-opinion polling body in the Philippines. As an independent ...
(SWS) opinion poll showed Marcos polling ahead of all presidential candidates, getting 47 percentage points of voting intentions.
Another poll conducted on the same period by Publicus Asia showed Marcos polling at 49.3 percentage points.
After Duterte announced her vice presidential bid and became his running mate, Marcos' numbers rose; the next Publicus Asia survey conducted immediately after the substitution period showed Marcos getting 56.7 percentage points.
Polls conducted by Pulse Asia and
OCTA Research in December 2021 showed Marcos at 53 and 54 percentage points respectively.
According to Pulse Asia director Ana Maria Tabunda, this was the first time a presidential candidate held a majority preference in their polls.
By early 2022, Marcos emerged as a clear frontrunner in all major polls, leading by at least 30 percentage points ahead of the next candidate,
Leni Robredo
Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
She was the wife of the late Jesse ...
. Marcos' numbers were at its highest on the January 2021 Laylo survey, polling at 64 percentage points. This is the highest a presidential candidate has polled in recent history, since
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
's 60 percentage points in an SWS September 2009 opinion poll. Pulse Asia also recorded similar numbers; its January 2022 survey showed Marcos polling at 60 percent. By mid-March, despite his absence in major debates and forums, his numbers did not decrease. A survey conducted by Pulse Asia following the first ''
PiliPinas Debates 2022
''PiliPinas Debates 2022: The Turning Point'', or simply ''PiliPinas Debates 2022'', was a televised debate series organized by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), with the assistance of non-partisan voter education organization Vote Pilipi ...
'' showed Marcos' numbers decreasing marginally by four points; although his lead narrowed from 45 to 32 percentage points, after Robredo's numbers substantially increased by nine.
By the end of the campaign period, Marcos consistently lead all opinion polls; a final poll by Publicus Asia showed Marcos leading 54%–22.
Petitions against Marcos' presidential bid
There were seven petitions against Marcos' presidential bid.
Three petitions aimed to cancel Marcos' certificate of candidacy (COC), one petition aimed to declare Marcos a
nuisance candidate, and three petitions aimed to disqualify him. Most petitions are based on Marcos'
1995 conviction for failing to file tax returns. Three disqualification petitions were consolidated and raffled to the commission's first division, while three other petitions were handed to the second division.
The final petition was also handed to the first division. Marcos has dismissed the petitions as nuisance petitions with no legal basis and propaganda against him.
''Buenafe, et al.'' ''v. Marcos'' (SPA 21-156)
A petition to cancel Marcos’ COC was filed on November 2 by Christian Buenafe. The petition alleges that Marcos committed material misrepresentation in his COC when he stated that he was eligible to run for office despite his 1995 tax case and his failure to submit those documents is a crime of moral turpitude. According to the Omnibus Election Code, a person who committed a crime involving moral turpitude is barred from holding public office. A group composed of martial law victims represented by lawyer Howard Calleja filed a petition-in-intervention to join this petition against Marcos' candidacy on November 8. Two additional answers-in-intervention were filed by Marcos' camp. The commission rejected the three interventions on December 13 and stated that it will not entertain similar submissions in the future after causing "unduly delay" on the main petition's status.
The petition was raffled to the commission's first division.
Marcos was granted an extension to respond to the petition, and a motion against the extension was filed and later denied. A preliminary conference was held on November 26.
The two sides have submitted their final arguments to the
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
(COMELEC).
On January 17, the COMELEC's second division dismissed the petition. In a ruling signed by commissioners Antonio Kho and Rey Bulay, the petition was denied due to lack of merit, stating that Marcos did not commit material misrepresentation in his COC and that he is not perpetually disqualified from seeking office. The petitioners have filed a motion for reconsideration, which was later denied by the COMELEC en banc on May 10, 2022, a day after the election was held.
The petitioners have elevated the case to the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.
Consolidated disqualification petitions
On November 17, 2021, the
Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law The Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (Carmma) is a Philippines-based coalition of victims under President Ferdinand Marcos' Martial law in the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos, martial law. It was launched on February 4, ...
(CARMMA) led by
Bonifacio Ilagan filed the first disqualification plea against Marcos. The group initially petitioned to disqualify Marcos from the race and cancel his COC but withdrew that petition and refiled to plea for his disqualification instead. A second petition was filed by
Akbayan
The Akbayan Citizens' Action Party, better known as Akbayan (), is a democratic socialist and progressive political party in the Philippines. Akbayan is noted as a leading member of the progressive movement in the Philippines, having been forme ...
on December 2, 2021, also citing Marcos' tax conviction. The third petition was made by Abubakar Mangelen, a commissioner for the
National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos ( fil, Pambansang Komisyon sa mga Pilipinong Muslim; ar, اللجنة الوطنية لمسلمي الفلبين : ''allajnat alwataniat limuslimi alfilibiyn'') is a government agency in the Philippi ...
. This petition also aims to nullify Marcos' Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance, with Mangelen maintaining that he is the PFP's chair and that Marcos did not follow the party's procedures. The COMELEC later consolidated the petitions of Ilagan, Akbayan, and Mangelen; a single ruling would be issued for the petitions.
The petition's preliminary conference was held on January 7. Marcos, while not required to attend, was not present at the conference. He was said to be in isolation after being exposed to his staff infected with COVID-19. His absence was criticized by Akbayan, seeking to hold him in contempt for allegedly lying about the reason for his absence.
Commissioner
Rowena Guanzon
Maria Rowena Amelia Villena Guanzon (, born August 29, 1957), is a Filipina lawyer, public servant, and politician who notably served as Philippine Commission on Elections commissioner from 2015 to 2022 under President Benigno Aquino III and ...
later asked for more evidence regarding his reason for skipping the hearing.
According to Guanzon, the COMELEC's decision on the consolidated petition was to be made on or before January 17, 2022, but was delayed after the COMELEC's office was closed due to the commission's staff being infected with COVID-19.
On January 28, 2022, Guanzon disclosed that she voted to disqualify Marcos. She also alleged that the decision was being delayed by a senator from Davao. The case's
ponente, Aimee Ferolino, criticized her for releasing her opinion before the final ruling. She also asserted that the preliminary conference was delayed to accommodate Guanzon's request to take part in the proceeding and broadcast the hearing, that there was no internal agreement on the January 17 deadline, and that she has allegedly tried to influence her decision on the case.
The petitioners welcomed Guanzon's vote while Marcos' party denounced the disclosure and urged the COMELEC en banc to investigate and penalize her. According to election lawyers Romulo Macalintal and Manuelito Luna, Guanzon may have violated the COMELEC's rules in disclosing her opinion as the case is
sub judice
In law, ''sub judice'', Latin for "under a judge", means that a particular case or matter is under trial or being considered by a judge or court. The term may be used synonymously with "the present case" or "the case at bar" by some lawyers.
I ...
,
while another lawyer has pointed out that there is no law prohibiting her to disclose her opinion ahead of the final decision. Guanzon's vote was not counted as she retired on February 2, 2022, before a promulgation could be made.
On February 10, 2022, the COMELEC's first division denied the consolidated petition due to lack of merit.
The 44-page resolution cited the Supreme Court earlier pronouncement that failure to file tax returns is not a crime involving moral turpitude. The resolution also affirmed that the 1977 National Internal Revenue Code did not carry the penalty of perpetual disqualification; this would only take effect under Presidential Decree 1994 on January 1, 1986.
The petitioners have criticized the ruling and vowed to appeal it to the COMELEC en banc, while former commissioner Guanzon also condemned the ruling, asserting that Marcos was convicted for not filing his income tax returns. A motion for reconsideration was filed by Akbayan on February 15, 2022, which was denied by the COMELEC en banc on May 10, 2022.
On May 18, CARMMA elevated the case to the Supreme Court, stating that Marcos should be disqualified and votes for him should be considered stray votes. The petitioners also asserted that if Marcos is disqualified,
Leni Robredo
Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona Robredo (; born Maria Leonor Santo Tomas Gerona; April 23, 1965) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 14th vice president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.
She was the wife of the late Jesse ...
, who placed second, should be declared the winner instead. The group also sought to stop the
congressional canvassing of votes, although this was unsuccessful as the canvassing continued as planned.
Other petitions
''Lihaylihay v. Marcos'' (SPA 21-003)
Danilo Lihaylihay, a presidential aspirant, filed the first petition against Marcos' bid on October 11. The petition calls on the COMELEC to declare Marcos a nuisance candidate, alleging that Marcos has no genuine intention to run for the office.
The electoral commission junked the petition on December 18, 2021, citing insufficient evidence and that Marcos has established his bonafide intention to run.
''Tiburcio Marcos v. Marcos'' (SPA 21-180)
Tiburcio Marcos, another presidential aspirant, filed a petition to cancel Marcos’ COC, claiming that Marcos was an impostor. Tiburcio, who claims to be "the royal king of the Philippine Islands," alleges that he is the only legitimate son of Ferdinand Marcos and that Bongbong Marcos died in 1975. Marcos has debunked the claim and filed a counter-petition to declare Tiburcio a nuisance candidate.
According to the commission's spokesman, the petition was denied before January 2022.
''Pudno Nga Ilokano v. Marcos'' (SPA 21-235)
The fourth petition, also based on his tax conviction, was filed by Pudno Nga Ilokano on December 7, 2021. The preliminary conference for the plea was held on January 14, 2022. On April 20, 2022, the COMELEC first division dismissed the petition for lack of merit.
A motion for reconsideration was filed by the petitioners and later rejected by the COMELEC en banc on May 10, 2022.
Reactions
As the son of the late former president
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
, Marcos' candidacy has been controversial, garnering criticism from several groups due to
his father's regime, a period characterized by
violence and oppression against those opposed to his regime,
political turmoil, and
widespread corruption.
In addition, some scholars have noted that his campaign is driven by a massive misinformation campaign aimed at
revamping the Marcos brand and smearing his rivals.
Protests
Rallies have been held to protest Bongbong Marcos's candidacy. In October 2021, more than 100 activists burned effigies of Marcos's father at a protest at the
Commission on Human Rights
A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights.
The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...
. Protesters recalled the massive human rights violations under Ferdinand Marcos and held up placards with the words "never again".
In November 2021, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance and the
Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law The Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses and Martial Law (Carmma) is a Philippines-based coalition of victims under President Ferdinand Marcos' Martial law in the Philippines under Ferdinand Marcos, martial law. It was launched on February 4, ...
gathered around the
bust of Ferdinand Marcos
The bust of Ferdinand Marcos along the Aspiras–Palispis Highway in Tuba, Benguet, Philippines, was a concrete monument of former Philippine President, dictator and kleptocrat Ferdinand Marcos. The monument became a subject of controversy as ...
in Benguet and unveiled banners bearing the words "Marcos No Hero", "
The North Resists", and "No to Duterte Marcos 2022".
On February 25, 2022, several groups protested against Marcos' candidacy and commemorated the anniversary of the
People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
in
EDSA
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or cities, ...
.
Senatorial slate
![UniTeam_2022_proclamation_rally](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/UniTeam_2022_proclamation_rally.jpg)
Marcos and Duterte have endorsed the following candidates for the
2022 Philippine Senate election
The 2022 Philippine Senate election was the 34th election of members to the Senate of the Philippines for a six-year term. It was held on May 9, 2022.
The seats of the 12 senators elected in 2016 were contested in this election, and the senato ...
, thus who are part of their "senatorial slate":
*
Herbert Bautista
Herbert Constantine "Bistek" Maclang Bautista (born May 12, 1968) is a Filipino actor and politician who served as mayor of Quezon City, the Philippines' largest city by population, from 2010 to 2019.
Bautista has starred in numerous films and T ...
, actor and former
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
*
Jinggoy Estrada
Jose Pimentel Ejercito Jr. (; born February 17, 1963), also known as Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada or simply Jinggoy Estrada, is a Filipino politician, film actor, and producer serving as a Senator since 2022, and previously from 2004 to 2016. He ...
, former senator
*
Larry Gadon
Lorenzo "Larry" Gacilo Gadon (born March 1, 1958) is a Filipino lawyer. He ran for a senatorial seat in 2016, 2019 and 2022 election under UniTeam senatorial slate of Bongbong Marcos, all of which were unsuccessful. He is famously known on ...
, lawyer
*
Sherwin Gatchalian
Sherwin Ting Gatchalian (born April 6, 1974), known as Win Gatchalian, is a Filipino politician and businessman serving as a Senator since 2016. A member of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), he previously served as the Representative o ...
, incumbent senator
*
Gregorio Honasan
Gregorio "Gringo" Ballesteros Honasan II (, born March 14, 1948), is a Filipino politician and a cashiered Philippine Army officer who led unsuccessful coups d'état against President Corazon Aquino. He played a key role in the 1986 EDSA Rev ...
, former
Secretary of Information and Communications Technology
The Secretary of the Information and Communications Technology ( Filipino: ''Kalihim ng Teknolohiyang Pang-Impormasyon at Komunikasyon'') is the member of the Cabinet in charge of the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
The ...
(guest candidate)
*
Loren Legarda
Lorna Regina "Loren" Bautista Legarda (born January 28, 1960) is a Filipina politician, environmentalist, cultural worker, and former journalist who is currently serving as a Senator and the president pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippin ...
, incumbent representative of
Antique's at-large congressional district
Antique's at-large congressional district, also known as Antique's lone district, is the sole congressional district of the Philippines in the province of Antique (province), Antique. Antique has been represented in the country's various List of l ...
and current
house deputy speaker (guest candidate)
*
Rodante Marcoleta
Rodante Dizon Marcoleta (born July 29, 1953) is a Filipino politician serving as the party-list representative for SAGIP since 2016. He is a former House Deputy Speaker of the 18th Congress from 2019 to 2022. A successful member of the relig ...
, incumbent representative of the SAGIP party-list
An electoral list is a grouping of candidates for election, usually found in proportional or mixed electoral systems, but also in some plurality electoral systems. An electoral list can be registered by a political party (a party list) or can ...
and current house deputy speaker (later withdrawn)
*
Robin Padilla
Robinhood Ferdinand Cariño Padilla (; born November 23, 1969), known professionally as Robin Padilla, is a Filipino politician, television personality, martial artist, actor and director currently serving as a Senator of the Philippines since ...
, actor
*
Harry Roque
Herminio "Harry" Lopez Roque Jr. (; born October 21, 1966) is a Filipino lawyer, politician, and former law professor. He served as the presidential spokesperson of President Rodrigo Duterte from 2017 to 2018 and from 2020 to 2021. He was the p ...
, former
presidential spokesperson
*
Gilbert Teodoro
Gilberto Eduardo Gerardo Cojuangco Teodoro Jr. (born June 14, 1964), nicknamed Gilbert or Gibo (), is a Filipino lawyer, politician and business executive who served as the Secretary of National Defense (Philippines), Secretary of National Def ...
, former
Secretary of National Defense
*
Mark Villar
Mark Aguilar Villar (, born August 14, 1978) is a Filipino politician and businessman serving as a Senator since 2022. He served in President Rodrigo Duterte's cabinet as the Secretary of Public Works and Highways from 2016 to 2021, and was the ...
, former
Secretary of Public Works and Highways
The secretary of public works and highways ( Filipino: ''Kalihim ng mga Pagawain at Lansangang Bayan'') is the head of the Department of Public Works and Highways in the national government of the Philippines, and is a member of the president ...
*
Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the President of the Senate of the Philippines, Senate President of the Philippines since July 25, 2022. Since 2016, he has been on ...
, incumbent
senate majority floor leader
The following are endorsed by Sara Duterte although they are not included in the UniTeam slate.
*
Jejomar Binay
Jejomar "Jojo" Cabauatan Binay Sr. (born Jesus Jose Cabauatan Binay; November 11, 1942) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 13th vice president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, under President Benigno Aquino III.
A hu ...
, former vice president
*
JV Ejercito
Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito (; born December 26, 1969), also known as JV Ejercito Estrada or simply JV Ejercito, is a Filipino politician and businessman serving as a Senator since 2022 and previously from 2013 to 2019. He had also served as t ...
, former senator
*
Guillermo Eleazar
Guillermo Lorenzo Tolentino Eleazar (, born November 13, 1965) is a Filipino retired police officer who previously served as Chief of the Philippine National Police. He previously served as Deputy Chief for Administration of the Philippine Natio ...
, former
Philippine National Police chief
The Chief of the Philippine National Police (abbreviated as C, PNP; Filipino: ''Hepe ng Pambansang Pulisya ng Pilipinas'') is the head of the Philippines' national police body, the Philippine National Police (PNP). The position is invariably held ...
*
Chiz Escudero
Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero (, born October 10, 1969) is a Filipino lawyer and politician serving as a Senator since 2022, and previously from 2007 to 2019. He recently served as governor of Sorsogon from 2019 to 2022, and was the ...
, incumbent
Sorsogon
Sorsogon, officially the Province of Sorsogon (Bikol language, Bikol: ''Probinsya kan Sorsogon''; Waray language, Waray: ''Probinsya han Sorsogon''; tl, Lalawigan ng Sorsogon), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines locat ...
governor
*
Sal Panelo, former presidential spokesperson
*
Joel Villanueva
Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva (, born August 2, 1975), nicknamed "Tesdaman", is a Filipino politician serving as the Senate Majority Leader since 2022 and has been a Senator since 2016. He previously served as the Director General of the Techn ...
, incumbent senator
Endorsements
Bongbong Marcos, alongside his running mate Sara Duterte, has received several endorsements for their campaign. Since the position of
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
and
vice president
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...
are elected separately, some personalities endorsed either Marcos or Duterte only; a notable example was President
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...
's endorsement of Sara, his daughter and Marcos' running mate, but not Marcos himself. According to Duterte, the tandem will still accept an endorsement even if the endorsement does not extend to the two of them.
Political positions
Abortion
Marcos is in favor of decriminalizing
abortion
Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...
in severe cases of
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
and
incest
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...
. He has stated that women should be able to have an abortion in these circumstances "because it is her body".
Age of criminal liability
Marcos is opposed to lowering the minimum age of criminal liability to the age of 12, saying that the government should strive for the rehabilitation of juvenile offenders, whom he believes lack discernment as they are "still too young, not fully mature" to be criminally responsible.
Capital punishment
Marcos does not support reinstating the death penalty for heinous crimes, believing it to be ineffective in curbing criminality. In 2016, he had expressed support for the penalty for criminals convicted of drug trafficking.
Divorce
Marcos is open to legalizing
divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
in the country, noting that other countries allow divorce despite being predominantly
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, but asserts that divorce should not be an "easy option" for couples.
Economy
If elected, Marcos plans to prioritize the industrial, agricultural, and tourism sectors to create more jobs.
In agriculture, he plans to invest in research, establish programs to assist farmers such as reviving
KADIWA stores, and
digitalize crop planning and
supply chain management
In commerce, supply chain management (SCM) is the management of the flow of goods and services including all processes that transform raw materials into final products between businesses and locations. This can include the movement and stor ...
. Marcos also plans to prioritize
micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). To support small businesses, he plans to impose amnesties, lower taxes, and
tax holiday
A tax holiday is a temporary reduction or elimination of a tax. It is synonymous with tax abatement, tax subsidy or tax reduction. Governments usually create tax holidays as incentives for business investment. Tax relief can be provided in th ...
s.
Education
Marcos proposes the establishment of a "national education portal" which will be developed by the government and hasten the education system's digital shift.
This proposed online platform aims to allow students and teachers to access digital learning materials and communicate securely. He also plans to seek the support of internet and telecom companies to help digitalize schools.
Foreign policy
Marcos vows to pursue an independent foreign policy and plans to treat other countries as "friends and hopefully allies." Regarding the
territorial disputes in the South China Sea
Territorial disputes in the South China Sea involve conflicting island and maritime claims in the region by several sovereign states, namely Brunei, the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan (Republic of China/ROC), Indonesia, Malaysia, Ph ...
, he will continue President Duterte's non-confrontational stance against
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and continue diplomatic talks, emphasizing that the country cannot go to war.
Health
Marcos' plan to address the
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines has resulted in, as of , reported cases, resulting in reported deaths, the fifth-highest in Southeast Asia, behind Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The first case in the Philippines was iden ...
is described in his "Tawid-COVID, Beyond COVID" platform. This includes increasing the budget for healthcare and medical research, strengthening research centers, establishing more
public hospital
A public hospital, or government hospital, is a hospital which is government owned and is fully funded by the government and operates solely off the money that is collected from taxpayers to fund healthcare initiatives. In some countries, this typ ...
s and
specialty hospitals in provinces, and improving the conditions of medical workers by increasing wages and benefits.
He also supports boosting vaccinations and the production of vaccines in the country.
Infrastructure
Marcos plans to expand the current administration's
Build! Build! Build!
The Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program (BBB) was the infrastructure program of Duterte administration, the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, the 16th president of the Philippines. A key component of DuterteNomics, his socioeconomic p ...
infrastructure program for job creation. In a statement, he vowed to turn the country into a "logistics hub" in Asia by modernizing, expanding, and digitalizing seaports, airports, and railways, citing the country's location in the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
. He also plans to develop
renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale. It includes sources such as sunlight, wind, the movement of water, and geothermal heat. Although most renewable energy ...
sources, such as wind and solar, alongside
nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
.
After the onslaught of
Typhoon Rai
Typhoon Rai, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Odette, was the second costliest typhoon in Philippine history behind Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Rai was a powerful rare tropical cyclone that struck the Philippines in December 2021. Rai beca ...
, he stated that he aims to intensify
urban planning
Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...
in the country and the cleanup and development of
floodways.
He and his running mate Sara Duterte also pledged to finish the planned improvements of the Duterte administration's
nationwide bike lane network to increase public confidence in using bicycles as a preferred mode of transportation. The UniTeam has also mentioned plans to offer zero-interest loans to make bicycles more affordable for Filipinos and roll out similar bike lane networks in other urban centers as part of their vision for a seamless
intermodal transportation system in the country.
LGBT issues
In an interview, Marcos said that
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term is a ...
people should not be discriminated upon, stating that all forms of discrimination were corrosive. In a townhall meeting on March 28, 2022, he stated that he will support laws protecting LGBT rights, and also sign a
same-sex union
A civil union (also known as a civil partnership) is a legally recognized arrangement similar to marriage, created primarily as a means to provide recognition in law for same-sex couples. Civil unions grant some or all of the rights of marriage ...
bill if it were to be passed by Congress.
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Ferdinand Marcos
2022 Philippine presidential campaigns