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Hong Kong’s Filipino community keep close watch on former migrant workers running for election in Philippines

Migrante, an organisation that represents migrant workers around the globe, targets three seats in Philippines election while frontrunner Rodrigo Duterte, dubbed Asia’s Donald Trump, promises bloody crackdown if he wins

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Filipinos vote at Bayanihan Centre in Kennedy Town with many hoping that an organisation representing migrant workers will claim up to three seats in the election. Photo: Sam Tsang
Phila Siu

As Filipinos head to the polling stations tomorrow to decide who will become the next president, the Filipino community in Hong Kong are keeping their fingers crossed that three former migrant workers will make it to the island nation's congress.

While much of the election’s spotlight has been on whether Rodrigo Duterte, often dubbed Asia’s Donald Trump, will become the country’s next leader as opinion polls have suggested, voters will have a say in who will become vice-president, senators, members of the congress and other important positions.

The Philippines is set to face drastic changes if the 71-year-old Duterte is elected, with his pledge to eradicate crime nationwide in six months by ordering security forces to kill criminals in a “bloody” crackdown.
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If that happens, the investigation division chief of the country’s Commission on Human Rights told the Post, there would “no longer be the rule of law”.

In Hong Kong, the voting period for the 93,049 registered voters started on April 9 and ends May 9.

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