The Philippine police and military said on Sunday they were on high alert as last-minute preparations continued for the country’s general election, even as the overall situation remained “relatively peaceful.”
Filipinos vote on Monday to choose President Rodrigo Duterte’s successor, a vice president, 12 senators, hundreds of congressmen and thousands of governors, mayors and provincial and city councilors.
The presidential race is a rematch between Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the country’s late dictator, and Leni Robredo, the human rights lawyer who narrowly beat him in the 2016 vice presidential contest.
Three months of divisive campaigning ended on Saturday, with Marcos and Robredo making final bids to sway undecided voters with patriotic, upbeat messages.
Duterte did not endorse a presidential candidate, but his party backs frontrunners Marcos and his running mate, Duterte’s daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Political violence, cheating allegations and vote-buying marred previous elections in the Philippines. But the police said they have recorded far fewer poll-related offenses than in the 2016 general election and 2019 mid-term polls.
Philippine National Police spokesperson Jean Fajardo told another briefing the pre-election situation was “relatively peaceful,” with 16 election-related offenses, including shootings in Nueva Ecija and Ilocos Sur provinces.
Voting will be longer than usual to accommodate COVID-19 protocol in the country.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
