Philippine dictator son’s presidential run triggers protests

By AARON FAVILA and JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The son and namesake of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos has registered his candidacy for next year’s presidential elections. His move sparked a protest by more than 100 activists who recalled the widespread human rights atrocities that marked the martial law era under his late father. Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. filed his papers with the elections commission, then waved at dozens of supporters chanting his name. The 64-year-old has vowed to unite Filipinos to overcome the challenges in the wake of of the coronavirus pandemic. But issues surrounding the Marcoses continue to stoke political divisions more than three decades after the dictator’s downfall. At a rally, a protest leader said the Marcos run is a slap on the face of the victims of torture.