Church in Philippines warns about possible election fraud
Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Catholic Church in the Philippines has warned of the possibility of fraud in Monday's presidential elections, stating that soldiers and police might sabotage voting at the polls.
Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales and Cardinal Ricardo Vidal have launched an appeal to political parties to play fairly after a group of military personnel and police officers said they had been ordered to rig ballot results.
Mr. Ricardo Saludo, a spokesman for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, said the Church's warnings dealt with a "serious matter" but said the government was in no way involved.
Elections in the almost entirely Catholic country of 82 million have had a long history of bribery, fraud and intimidation.
Opinion polls reveal that Arroyo is ahead of the hugely popular film star Fernando Poe Jr, the strongest of her four rivals. This year's elections are have been clouded by fears of violence by Muslim militants.
"We believe there is already (election) fraud being orchestrated," said Ernesto Ordonez, a former trade and agriculture official who now serves as deputy director of the state election watchdog team.
"They told us: 'We don't want to do it but the problem is we were ordered to do so. If we don't do it, our lives and careers are in danger'."
National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales warned on Thursday of a possible plot by the opposition to disrupt elections, starting by organizing fraud protests.
Rosales, who became Manila's archbishop in November after the influential Cardinal Jaime Sin retired, said that both he and Vidal wanted Monday's elections to be "clean and honest and peaceful".
Lieutenant-General Rodolfo Garcia, the military's deputy chief of staff, said his officials would investigate the allegations.
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