The son of Ferdinand Marcos, the late Filipino dictator ousted in a popular uprising, was on track for a landslide victory in the Southeast Asian nation's presidential election.
It would be a remarkable comeback for a family dynasty that was once exiled in disgrace.
Early exit polls from nearly half of the 70,000 polling stations suggested Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr, 64, had more than twice the number of votes as his main rival, Leni Robredo, 57, the outgoing vice-president and human rights lawyer, although the official results may not be confirmed for another week.
Sara Duterte, 43, was also set to take over as vice-president, possibly giving her father, Rodrigo, the departing president, a continuing role in politics.
The election has been seen by many as a make-or-break moment for Philippine democracy with rights activists, church leaders and former victims of Marcos Sr's notorious martial law era anxious that his son could lead with similar "strongman" traits.
Since the 1986 "People Power" revolution that forced the Marcos family to flee to Hawaii, they have been accused of plundering billions of dollars in ill-gotten wealth and remain subject to multiple related court cases.
The family denies any wrongdoing, and Marcos Jr's tightly controlled and well-funded campaign has dismissed criticism about the roots of their vast wealth as "fake news," seeking to rewrite his father's notoriously brutal regime as a "Golden Age" of economic growth.
Many of the electorates have bought into the campaign message, including younger generations who have no memory of the abuses committed under martial law.
President Ferdinand E. Marcos of the Philippines addressing a UNCTAD meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, May 1976. Photo / Getty Images
Ferdinand Marcos Sr ruled from 1965 to 1986 during which time, according to Amnesty International, some 70,000 people were imprisoned, 34,000 tortured and more than 3200 killed. He died aged in 1989 aged 72.
The resurrection of the Marcos dynasty's fortunes appears to have been driven by public anger about corruption and poverty that have blighted the rule of successive governments for decades.
Philippine economy was doing well
"I chose Bongbong Marcos as my president because I believe that he can help our country to be great again," said Gie Calamiong, a 50-year-old housewife.
"I believe he can make the lives of the Filipinos better just like the late President Ferdinand Marcos did. I recall during that time the Philippine economy was doing well. Every Filipino had pride and honour," she added.
Polls opened at 6am with a record-breaking 67 million people registered to cast their ballots. Voters braved long queues in searing summer temperatures.
Jojo Montalban, 51, a production crew member in Las Piñas City near the capital Manila, said he would vote for Marcos because his parents had said his late father was "the greatest president" of the Philippines.
"They told me that his son Ferdinand Jr will be running for president someday and I should vote for him when it happens," he said.
Little is known about the policies of Marcos Jr, who has skipped televised debates and largely avoided media interviews.
"The politics of this country are very personalised. Everything depends solely on personalities and campaigns are hardly about platforms," said Edmond Tayao, a political analyst.
However, analysts have suggested that in foreign policy Marcos could seek to reset the Philippines' relationship with Indo-Pacific rivals China and the US, drawing Manila closer to Beijing.
