Anti-establishment firebrand
Rodrigo Duterte secured a huge win in the Philippine presidential elections,
according to a poll monitor, after an incendiary campaign dominated by his
profanity-laced vows to kill criminals.
Duterte, the long-time mayor of the southern city of Davao, hypnotised millions with his vows of brutal but quick solutions to the nation's twin plagues of crime and poverty, which many believed had worsened despite strong economic growth in recent years.
And after a record turnout of voters in Monday's elections, Duterte scored a commanding victory, according to data released by the PPCRV, a Catholic Church-run poll monitor accredited by the government to tally the votes.
Duterte, the long-time mayor of the southern city of Davao, hypnotised millions with his vows of brutal but quick solutions to the nation's twin plagues of crime and poverty, which many believed had worsened despite strong economic growth in recent years.
And after a record turnout of voters in Monday's elections, Duterte scored a commanding victory, according to data released by the PPCRV, a Catholic Church-run poll monitor accredited by the government to tally the votes.
With 88 per cent of the vote
counted early today morning, Duterte had an insurmountable lead of 5.84 million
votes over his nearest rival, administration candidate Mar Roxas, according to
the data.