Protesters wearing masks portraying Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stand behind a mock jail during a rally near the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines, March 8, 2022 (AP photo by Aaron Favila).

Although the actual election isn’t for another six weeks, current polling suggests Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is all but a lock to succeed Rodrigo Duterte as the Philippines’ next president. Marcos, a former senator and son of the late longtime Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., has opened up a massive lead against his nearest challenger, current Vice President Leni Robredo. A survey released by the respected Pulse Asia in March found that Marcos led Robredo by a whopping 44 points, with 60 percent of respondents expressing a preference for him. That actually increased his polling lead by 11 points from a prior Pulse Asia […]