Bongbong Marcos files presidency bid in 2022

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 6) — Former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., son and namesake of the country's ousted strongman, is hoping to be elected to the post held by his late father for over 20 years. 

On Wednesday, he filed his certificate of candidacy for president in the May 2022 national elections under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. He still has no running mate, saying he initially planned to "adopt" President Rodrigo Duterte, but plans fell through when the latter withdrew his bid for the second top post.

During the COC filing, Marcos said he does not restrict media questions, as long as they are not the same ones that have hounded his political career. He refused to answer queries about his mother Imelda Marcos, who was convicted of seven counts of graft in 2018 but enjoys freedom due to old age while on appeal, and how he and his siblings benefitted from his family's ill-gotten wealth.

"If you have something new to ask me, mahirap [it's hard] if we will be having the same conversations I've been having for 35 years," he said.

Under former President Ferdinand Marcos' military rule, over 11,000 people fell victim to summary execution, torture, enforced or involuntary disappearance and other human rights violations as recognized under the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act. But rights groups estimate some 70,000 people were imprisoned and 34,000 were tortured.

Data from the World Bank and United Nations also show the late Philippine leader had amassed some $5 billion to $10 billion in ill-gotten wealth from 1965 to 1986.

The dictator was ousted in the People Power revolt of 1986, forcing him to flee into exile in Hawaii on Feb. 25, 1986, shortly before mobs stormed Malacañang. He died there three years later without admitting wrongdoing.

Bongbong Marcos has repeatedly downplayed reports of atrocities during martial law, saying they were part of "political propaganda."

When he announced his 2022 plans on Tuesday, rights groups slammed the move as an affront to martial law victims.

Marcos ran for vice president in the 2016 election but lost to Leni Robredo. He filed an election protest, but the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed it and ruled in favor of Robredo.

He also previously served as a congressman representing Ilocos Norte, and had also held the governor and vice governor posts in the province.