MANILA, Philippines – Former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, only son and namesake of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is eyeing a bid to become president of the Philippines.
The former senator said he is considering returning to Malacañang in an interview with London-based Financial Times, which published its profile of Marcos on Monday, June 18.
"My career is politics, and, of course, you aspire to as high a stature within your chosen field as you can achieve – and that would be president in my case.... But it is not something that I wake up in the morning and plan on," said Marcos.
In the article, Marcos said he eyes a "more egalitarian system of government."
"In my father's administration, I kept hearing 'nation-building,' and I do not hear that phrase anymore.... It's more politicking than nation-building," he said.
His father's 21-year rule was marred by corruption, killings, torture, disappearances, and media oppression. While Marcos was only 15 when Martial Law was declared in 1972, he was already an adult when his father was toppled due to the 1986 People Power Revolution.
Years later, Marcos ran but got defeated in the 2016 vice presidential election, losing to Vice President Leni Robredo by just 263,473 votes.
He then accused Robredo and the Liberal Party of cheating in the polls and filed an electoral protest against the Vice President. (READ: TIMELINE: Marcos-Robredo election case)
Last December, Marcos ranked 7-8 in the senatorial survey of the Social Weather Stations.
But he said he will not be running for senator, as he believes he had won the vice presidency and is determined to see through his electoral case until the end.
The Supreme Court, acting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, is currently recounting votes in the 3 pilot provinces Marcos picked for the electoral protest. – Rappler.com
