Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has emerged victorious at Philippines presidential election, set to inherit a country on the mend from the pandemic, high inflation to the aftermath of a brutal anti-drug campaign by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Mr Marcos garnered 56 per cent of the vote compared to 28 per cent for rival Leni Robredo, to whom he had lost the 2016 vice-presidential election. 

Running mate to the younger Marcos in the election is the outgoing president’s daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio. 

“It’s a historic election, a very memorable one, simply because we’d be electing, at least in a pandemic situation, a new president and that’s why we’re expecting a high turnout of voters,” Elections Commissioner George Garcia said on Monday.

67 million people registered to cast their ballots, though Aljazeera reported delays as voting stations were unable to scan paper ballots, with reports of alleged vote-buying, manipulation and violence.

In a speech to his supporters on Monday night, with the official vote counting ahead, Mr. Marcos urged patience.

“It’s not over yet,” The New York Times quoted Mr Marcos Jnr as saying. “Let us keep watch over our votes. And if I do get lucky, I am hoping for your unending help and trust.”

Mr Marcos’ victory would return his family to power 36 years after they were ousted by a revolution.

Nicknamed “BongBong”, Mr Marcos is the son and namesake of his father who ruled the Philippines as a dictator until he was forced from office and into exile in 1986.