Manila: The key presidential candidates in Monday’s Philippine elections (in alphabetical order of surnames).
Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay
The incumbent vice president and four-term mayor of Makati, the financial district of Manila, first came to national attention as a lawyer defending dissidents jailed by dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ martial law rule.
His popularity plunged after a high-profile Senate public inquiry into his wealth led to the filing of a criminal complaint for graft against him over the construction of an allegedly overpriced Makati car park building.
Rodrigo ‘Rudy’ Duterte
Tough-talking mayor of the southern city of Davao who has electrified his supporters and outraged his critics with vows to kill tens of thousands of criminals in a brutal war on crime.
The 71-year-old has fashioned himself as an authoritarian, anti-establishment candidate who can provide quick solutions to crime, poverty and many other deep-rooted problems that plague the nation. The clear favourite to win, acording to surveys.
Grace Poe
A former schoolteacher with a Cinderella-like background, Poe, 47 is the adopted daughter of the country’s most famous showbiz couple who owes much of her popularity to her parents.
Poe entered politics only three years ago when she topped the Senate election and jumped to become an early favourite in the campaign. But controversies over previously taking US citizenship and being unable to identify her biological parents have hurt her.
Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas
Grandson of the post-colonial Philippines’ first president, the former senator and ex-cabinet minister is backed by President Benigno Aquino and the ruling Liberal Party.
However the Wharton-educated Roxas, 58, lacks the charisma of rivals, who portray him as a privileged landlord detached from the sufferings of the poor. In equal second place with Poe, about 11 percentage points behind Duterte, according to surveys.
Miriam Defensor-Santiago
The tough-talking former judge fell less than 800,000 votes short of capturing the presidency from Fidel Ramos 24 years ago, but the 70-year-old senator now brings up the rear in all surveys.
She was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer two years ago and she has had limited time on the stumps, though she says she has beaten back the disease with an expensive new treatment.
