Philippine election outcome sparks protests

Riot police pushed back a group of protesters who gathered outside the election commission headquarters in Manila on Tuesday. More than 100 students marched nearly two miles in protest in the city of Angeles, while 200 others convened outside the election commission’s office in the city of Baguio. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, won the presidential vote by a landslide. Outgoing leader Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter, Sara Duterte, was Marcos’ running mate and will serve as vice president.

Why the mass opposition? Democracy activists have warned the Marcos-Duterte pairing unites two political clans known for harsh authoritarian rule. The duo also face accusations of whitewashing their fathers’ legacies during the campaign and on social media. Marcos pledged to bridge political divides in the country and foster unity.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archive, read my 2017 report on protests against martial law in the Philippines.