Marcos Jr poised for triump

Ferdinand Marcos Jr was headed for a stunning victory in the Philippines' presidential election yesterday with double the votes of his nearest rival, putting the son of the notorious late dictator on the cusp of a historic political fightback.

An unofficial tally by the election commission showed Marcos, 64, was close to passing the required 27.5 million votes to secure a majority in a presidential election for the first time since the end of his father's 1965-1986 rule.

The count makes almost certain a previously unthinkable return to power of the Marcos family, 36 years after its humiliating retreat into exile after being toppled in a "people power" uprising.

"I hope you won't get tired of trusting us," Marcos told supporters in remarks streamed on Facebook, a platform at the heart of his campaign strategy.

"We have plenty of things to do," he said, adding "an endeavour as large as this does not involve one person."

Marcos Jr had 26.3 million votes, more than double the 12.5 million votes for Leni Robredo, the vice president, with 81.8% of the eligible ballots counted, according to the unofficial Commission on Elections tally.

The Marcos family returned from exile in the 1990s and has since been a powerful force in politics. Marcos Jr has served as a governor, congressman and senator, his sister, Imee, is currently a senator and mother Imelda, widow of the late dictator, served four terms in the House of Representatives.