Philippine VP eyes presidency

Philippine vice-president and opposition leader Leni Robredo registered her presidential candidacy yesterday for next year’s elections in a move that would bring the pro-democracy advocate to a new face off with the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos who is also seeking the top post.

Robredo joined a growing list of aspirants for the May 9 elections after talks failed for key candidates to unite behind a single contender who would go against whoever President Rodrigo Duterte and his ruling party endorse for the race.

To take on Marcos Jr

Robredo earlier said she may decide to run if exsenator Ferdinand “Bongbong’’ Marcos junior, whom she narrowly defeated in the 2016 vice presidential race, sought the presidency.

Philippine presidents and vice presidents are elected separately, and Robredo and Duterte have had strained ties for years. She has attacked his crackdown on illegal drugs that has left thousands of mostly poor suspects dead, and led to the International Criminal Court opening an investigation. She has also hit Marcos Jr.’s refusal to apologise and express remorse over the thousands of human rights victims under his father’s iron-fist rule from 1972 to 1981.