In their 23 years of independence, the Philippines have had six Presidents —one for each four-year term. The country's politics are intertwined with corruption and crime. Chief executives have been unable to keep their extravagant campaign promises, and public resentment has made second terms out of the question. Last week, in an abrupt departure from Philippine practice, Ferdinand Marcos was elected to his second term as President.
The victory was as much a product of Marcos' own political talents as of a fundamental change in the country's political temperament. In an effort to discourage the violence that customarily erupts at election time, mothers and priests stood guard at many of the polling places, and liquor sales were forbidden for a week beforehand. Even so, rival private armies, which Filipinos call "goonstabularies" in a play on the word constabulary, prowled the country. A number of intimidated election officials resigned or disappeared, and about 50 people died in shootouts.
Almost Too Good. The final results may not be tabulated for weeks. But incomplete returns show Marcos and his Nacionalista Party beating Liberal Party Candidate Sergio Osmeña Jr. by perhaps 1,700,000 out of 7,000,000 votes counted so far. The scope of Marcos' victory was almost embarrassing. As he met with his supporters in Malacañang Palace to claim victory late in the evening of election day, he was leading in every single precinct then reporting. "How can that be?" complained Osmeña. "This is the dirtiest election we have ever had."
No doubt some of Marcos' supporters were indeed overly enthusiastic in help ing their candidate. A number of ballot boxes were still missing days after the election, and a few election officials were still in hiding. But Marcos would have won anyway. As a campaigner, he had the war record (27 medals in World War II), the necessary transportation (he used a squadron of Philippine air force planes) and the crowd-pleasing, youthful good looks (which he preserves with a largely vegetarian diet and frequent yoga exercises).
Ungallant Behavior. By contrast, Osmeña, a second-term Senator, is a frail, shy man, who was once accused (though later exonerated) of wartime collaboration with the Japanese. While Osmeña stressed the need for strong ties with the U.S., Marcos, who senses his people's resentment at being regarded by other Asians as the U.S.'s "little brown brothers," emphasized the need for the Philippines to become more assertive and active in Asian affairs. Marcos also managed easily to shrug off Osmeña's charges of corruption in his government. "I would not lie to you and say there is no corruption, but it is being reduced to a minimum," he said in his campaign speeches. When Osmeña indiscreetly charged that Marcos' beautiful wife Imelda owns "the largest gem collection in Asia," Filipinos felt he was being ungallant.