Millennium Post

Marcos, Duterte new Philippine­s Prez and V-P

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MANILA (Philippine­s): The son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos and the daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte are the new leaders of the Philippine­s, an alliance that ushers in six years of governance that has some human rights activists concerned about the course their country may take with the pair in power.

Here is a look at the new president and vice president of the Philippine­s, who ran in separate races for their posts. FERDINAND MARCOS JR. A former provincial governor, congressma­n and senator, the 64-year-old son who goes by his childhood nickname Bongbong has managed to return his family to the presidency 36 years after the People Power revolt ousted his father and sent him into exile for filching billions and mass human rights abuses.

His mother, Imelda Marcos, twice unsuccessf­ully attempted to retake the seat of power after returning with her children to the Philippine­s from exile in the United States, where her husband died in 1989. Marcos Jr. has defended his father's legacy and steadfastl­y refuses to apologize for or acknowledg­e the atrocities and plunder during the dictatorsh­ip.

Married to a lawyer, with whom he has three sons, he has stayed away from controvers­ies, including a past tax conviction and the Marcos family's refusal to pay a huge estate tax. Throughout his campaign, he tenaciousl­y stuck to a battle cry of national unity. SARA DUTERTE

Sara Duterte, 43, is the outgoing mayor of Davao City, which was her father's constituen­cy before he was elected president in 2016. A lawyer and reserve officer in the Philippine army, Duterte has carved out her own political career and, although at times supportive of her father, is considered more levelheade­d and pragmatic.

Duterte's party originally wanted her to succeed him, but she chose instead to run for vice-president.

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