The son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos might be the Philippines' next president, leaving watchdog groups concerned his win would halt the search for his family's ill-gotten wealth

• Under Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship, 34,000 people were tortured and over 3,200 more were murdered.
• The Marcos family also illegally amassed over $10 billion during Marcos' 20-year rule.

Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., the son of former Philippines dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is the frontrunner in the country's upcoming presidential election, sparking concern that searches for the family's illegally-amassed wealth — believed to be as much as $10 billion — will be squelched if he wins.

Marcos Jr. — or Bongbong as locals call him — is on track to win the May 9 presidential election, per Reuters. In mid-April, Bongbong was 33% points ahead of his closest competitor, Leni Robredo — despite being the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos and first lady Imelda Marcos, the notorious political couple who stole billions from the Filipino people during their 20-year rule.

Before their downfall in 1986, the Marcos "earned" their wealth by embezzling government funds and financial aid. They were not shy about flaunting their wealth and lived a lavishly extravagant lifestyle, investing in four Manhattan properties worth more than $300 million at the time. They also owned more than 200 artworks, including masterpieces by Picasso, Van Gogh, and Michelangelo, many of which are still missing.

According to Bloomberg, the family's assets are believed to be between $5 billion and $10 billion.

In addition to Marcos' financial crimes, he was also a violent ruler who imposed martial law in 1972. Over nine years, tens of thousands of Filipinos were detained, tortured, and killed, according to human rights group Amnesty International.

When Marcos was re-elected again in February 1986, millions took to the streets to protest against his corruption and brutality, and the family fled the country. The Marcoses lived in exile in Hawaii, bringing along stacks of gold, gems, jewelry, and multiple boxes of cash, per The Los Angeles Times, citing a US Customs Service inventory of seized items. The seized assets were valued at $7.7 million at the time.

To date, the Marcos family still has access to most of its stolen fortune as the family ignored court orders and appealed against rulings to hand over their assets, according to a Reuters review of court filings, government documents, and legal depositions by Bongbong.

The Presidential Commission on Good Government, a Philippines quasi-government agency whose sole purpose is to hunt and retrieve the illegally-amassed wealth of the Marcoses, told Reuters that they only managed to retrieve $5 billion worth of assets. As of 2021, they are still trying to recover $2.4 billion from the family.

In 1991, the Marcos family returned from exile, and Bongbong began building his family's image once more. He served as a senator from 2010 to 2016, per Time. He ran for vice president in 2016 but lost. In 2021, he returned to the political stage to announce his bid for president.

With Bongbong in the lead, some watchdog groups are concerned that the hunt for Marcos's unaccounted wealth will end if he becomes president.

Ruben Carranza, a former PCGG commissioner, told Reuters on May 3 that a Bongbong win could put a wrench in the 36-year-long battle to retrieve the family's wealth. Bongbong will be sure to protect "whatever ill-gotten wealth" the family has kept, Carranza added.

Carranza's concern is warranted: Bongbong and his siblings have refused to pay a $3.9 billion — with penalties — tax bill for years. In 2018, Bongbong's mother, Imelda Marcos, was convicted on seven graft charges for funneling an estimated $200 million through Switzerland companies. The 92-year-old remains out on bail while she appeals her conviction. Imelda Marcos is known for her notorious shopping habit, famously amassing more than 3,000 pairs of designer shoes.

Despite his family's legacy, many Filipinos see Bongbong as separate from Marcos's history of corruption.

"Many Filipinos like him, regardless of what his parents did. We believe that he will not make the same mistakes as his parents and trust that he will do his best for his people," Cristina, a 42-year-old farmer from Clark, Philippines, who asked to be identified by her first name, told Insider.

"Half of the treasures have already been confiscated by the Aquino government. Plus, previous presidents are also corrupted," Cristina's 67-year-old mother, Lucita added.

Voting for the next Philippines president has started, and results will be announced on May 9.