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Philippines election: Security tight as polls are set to open

While the results are not technically official, the group is accredited by the Commission on Elections to conduct a “quick count”.

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MANILA The Philippines’ presidential race paused after weeks of campaigning that was embittered by the emergence of tough-talking mayor Rodrigo Duterte as the clear front-runner in opinion polls, making him the man to beat in Monday’s vote.

Rodrigo Duterte declared victory in the Philippines election on Monday after presidential hopefuls Mar Roxas and Grace Poe conceded defeat. He also promised to root out political corrupts and diminish poverty which is the country’s ills in the recent years.

His speeches have been filled with jokes about his sexual prowess, rape and the pope. This in turn led to the comparison of Duterte with frontrunner Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, GMA Network has cited.

Trillanes, one of the leaders of the coup attempts against the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, made life hard for Duterte towards the end of the 90-day election campaign. Sonny Coloma, a spokesman for outgoing President Benigno Aquino III, said: “Our people have spoken and their verdict is accepted”.

In a press conference Tuesday in Davao, Duterte spokesperson Peter Lavina said his camp “will prepare the transition (plan) tomorrow”.

In an intriguing sub-plot, former dictator Marcos’s son and namesake had a slight lead in the race to be elected vice president, according to the poll monitor, which would cement a remarkable political comeback for his family.

Voters have been particularly drawn to his promise to tackle corruption “in a country that has experienced six per cent economic growth on average while residents of slums still struggle to buy food”, says The Guardian. “They have spoken clearly and resoundingly that they want Mayor Duterte to be our next president”.

As mayor of Davao on restive Mindanao Island, Duterte has won praise from supporters for cleaning up the city’s drug and crime problems, but he has advocated unusual and violent tactics including using death squads.

The ministry said that Taiwan and the Philippines are geographically close to each other and maintain close exchanges in trade, investment and tourism.

Duterte was enraged by the reaction to the rape comments, which included criticism from the U.S. and Australian ambassadors, insisting they were taken out of context.

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His election campaign has also focused on reforming the economy, infrastructure, and on solving the territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

Millions vote for president in Philippine general elections