Philippines presidential candidate Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr arrives at his campaign headquarters, in Manila. Bloomberg
Philippines presidential candidate Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr arrives at his campaign headquarters, in Manila. Bloomberg
Supporters of presidential candidate Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Junior cheer outside his campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Manila. Mr Marcos Jr was leading by landslide, with most of the votes counted. EPA
Supporters of presidential candidate Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Junior cheer outside his campaign headquarters in Mandaluyong City, Manila. Mr Marcos Jr was leading by landslide, with most of the votes counted. EPA
Supporters of presidential candidate and Vice President of the Philippines Leni Robredo take a part in a prayer vigil after the final result of votes in Manila. AFP
Supporters of presidential candidate and Vice President of the Philippines Leni Robredo take a part in a prayer vigil after the final result of votes in Manila. AFP
Protesters stage a demonstration against results showing Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos winning the presidency, in front of the Commission on Elections headquarters, in Manila. EPA
Protesters stage a demonstration against results showing Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos winning the presidency, in front of the Commission on Elections headquarters, in Manila. EPA
Supporters of Mr Marcos Jr celebrate as partial results of the elections show him with a wide lead over rivals, in Mandaluyong City. Reuters
Supporters of Mr Marcos Jr celebrate as partial results of the elections show him with a wide lead over rivals, in Mandaluyong City. Reuters
Demonstrators rally in front of the Commission on Elections offices. AFP
Demonstrators rally in front of the Commission on Elections offices. AFP
Students and activists sing during the rally. AP
Students and activists sing during the rally. AP
Vice President Leni Robredo speaks to journalists after the election, at her home in Magarao, Camarines Norte. EPA
Vice President Leni Robredo speaks to journalists after the election, at her home in Magarao, Camarines Norte. EPA
Supporters of Ms Robredo take a part in a prayer vigil. AFP
Supporters of Ms Robredo take a part in a prayer vigil. AFP
As her supporters rallied, Ms Robredo urged them to listen to the “voice of the people”, referring to the unofficial vote count that pointed to victory for Mr Marcos Jr. Reuters
As her supporters rallied, Ms Robredo urged them to listen to the “voice of the people”, referring to the unofficial vote count that pointed to victory for Mr Marcos Jr. Reuters
Supporters of Mr Marcos Jr cheer outside his campaign headquarters in Manila. Bloomberg
Supporters of Mr Marcos Jr cheer outside his campaign headquarters in Manila. Bloomberg
Millions of people flocked to voting centres across the country for the national elections. EPA
Millions of people flocked to voting centres across the country for the national elections. EPA

World

Australasia

Ferdinand Marcos Jr on holiday in Australia after winning Philippine elections

The trip came as activists made court appeal to overturn election result

The National

May 17, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Ferdinand Marcos Jr visited Australia on Tuesday, days after securing the Philippine presidency.

HIs visit drew a small number of protesters to a house he was reportedly staying in.

“It is more of a private trip for a much-needed rest and vacation of president-elect Bongbong,” his spokesman Vic Rodriguez said, calling Mr Marcos by his nickname. he said he would return to Manila on Thursday.

While he was in Australia, Mr Marcos received a phone call from Prime Minister Scott Morrison to congratulate him on winning last week's election.

A small group of Filipino protesters gathered outside an address in central Melbourne carrying placards that read, “Tax evaders not welcome here” and “Tyrants not welcome here”.

Mr Rodriguez was critical of the group.

Members of Australia’s Filipino community protest outside an apartment in Melbourne, Australia, where Ferdinand Marcos Jr, was believed to be holidaying. AP
Members of Australia’s Filipino community protest outside an apartment in Melbourne, Australia, where Ferdinand Marcos Jr, was believed to be holidaying. AP

“It’s embarrassing for Filipinos. It’s not a Filipino trait to shame or embarrass his fellow Filipino in another country,” Mr Rodriguez said.

“I think the best authority or person to say whether he is welcome or not are the Australian government, and not fellow Filipinos who are there because they are full of hatred and have a very bitter heart.”

The president-elect is the son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who died in exile in Hawaii in 1989 after being ousted by a popular uprising. The family lived famously opulent lifestyles, but denies siphoning off billions of dollars of state wealth.

Mr Marcos Jr's electoral victory, which returns one of Asia's most notorious political dynasties to power, has divided the country.

Mr Marcos, 64, won the presidency with nearly 59 per cent of the votes last week and will be sworn into office next month.

Ferdinand Marcos was president of the Philippines from December 1965 to February 1986. AFP
Ferdinand Marcos was president of the Philippines from December 1965 to February 1986. AFP
Former US president Richard Nixon speaks with Marcos during his visit to the White House on April 1, 1969. Getty Images
Former US president Richard Nixon speaks with Marcos during his visit to the White House on April 1, 1969. Getty Images
Marcos sits with his wife, Imelda, and their children, from left, Bongbong, Iren and Immee in Manila in November 1969. AP
Marcos sits with his wife, Imelda, and their children, from left, Bongbong, Iren and Immee in Manila in November 1969. AP
Marcos is interviewed on March 11, 1985, by Georges Biannic, Agence France Presse regional director for Asia and the Pacific, at Malacanang Palace in Manila. AFP
Marcos is interviewed on March 11, 1985, by Georges Biannic, Agence France Presse regional director for Asia and the Pacific, at Malacanang Palace in Manila. AFP
Marcos salutes during the 84th anniversary of the foundation of the Philippine Constabulary in Manila on August 25, 1985. AFP
Marcos salutes during the 84th anniversary of the foundation of the Philippine Constabulary in Manila on August 25, 1985. AFP
Marcos and his wife, Imelda, appear before about 35,000 college students undergoing two-year compulsory military training in Manila on November 15, 1985. AFP
Marcos and his wife, Imelda, appear before about 35,000 college students undergoing two-year compulsory military training in Manila on November 15, 1985. AFP
Marcos speaks to journalists during his campaign in his home province of Ilocos Norte on December 17, 1985. Reuters
Marcos speaks to journalists during his campaign in his home province of Ilocos Norte on December 17, 1985. Reuters
Marcos takes the oath of office on February 24, 1986, in Manila while his wife looks on. AFP
Marcos takes the oath of office on February 24, 1986, in Manila while his wife looks on. AFP
Marcos, Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos Jr, far right, stand on the balcony of Malacanang Palace on February 25, 1986, right after Marcos took the oath of office. AP
Marcos, Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos Jr, far right, stand on the balcony of Malacanang Palace on February 25, 1986, right after Marcos took the oath of office. AP
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, also known as 'Bongbong', autographs a portrait of his father during a campaign rally in Manila on May 5, 1995. AFP
Ferdinand Marcos Jr, also known as 'Bongbong', autographs a portrait of his father during a campaign rally in Manila on May 5, 1995. AFP

Challenge to election results

Human rights activists have asked the Philippine Supreme Court to block Congress from proclaiming Mr Marcos Jr as the next president, alleging that he lied when he said he had not been convicted of any crime.

The Commission on Election twice dismissed their petition and six other similar complaints to cancel Marcos Jr.’s candidacy papers ahead of the May 9 vote. The petitioners elevated the case to the highest court on Monday, saying Mr Marcos Jr was convicted in 1995 of tax evasion with a jail term, which should have permanently barred him from seeking public office.

A 1997 Court of Appeals ruling upheld Mr Marcos Jr’s conviction for failing to file income tax returns from 1982 to 1985 and ordered him to settle his unpaid taxes and fines, but did not mention any imprisonment.

Most of the petitioners are leaders of groups representing survivors of martial law in the 1970s under his father. They want the court to temporarily block the Senate and the House of Representatives from undertaking an official canvassing of votes starting next week that would eventually proclaim Marcos Jr. as the winner.

“Our petition notes that a candidate’s imminent victory cannot cure his ineligibility,” said Fides Lim, spokesperson of one of the human rights groups.

“If the Supreme Court were to allow such a brazen lie to trump the rule of law, all substantive eligibility requirements in all future elections can be circumvented by ineligible candidates who happen to secure a victory,” she said.

THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)

Power: 141bhp 

Torque: 250Nm 

Price: Dh64,500

On sale: Now

On Women's Day
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

While you're here
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

More on Quran memorisation:
On Women's Day
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Towering concerns
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

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Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20OneOrder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tamer%20Amer%20and%20Karim%20Maurice%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E82%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Series%20A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

THE SPECS

Aston Martin Rapide AMR

Engine: 6.0-litre V12

Transmission: Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic

Power: 595bhp

Torque: 630Nm

Price: Dh999,563

On Women's Day
The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

Plastic tipping point
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

While you're here
If you go…

Emirates launched a new daily service to Mexico City this week, flying via Barcelona from Dh3,995.

Emirati citizens are among 67 nationalities who do not require a visa to Mexico. Entry is granted on arrival for stays of up to 180 days. 

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Teaching in coronavirus times
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

ETFs explained

Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.

ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.

There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.4-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E637Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh375%2C900%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm

Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: From Dh1 million

On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022 

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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The Voice of Hind Rajab

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Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

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Updated: June 30, 2022, 5:25 AM`
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