Philippines goes to the polls. Four more killed
Manila (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Four people were killed a few hours before the elections in the Philippines today. According to police sources, three people were killed and 10 wounded in a clash between police and supporters of a candidate in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay this morning before dawn. Also this morning another man - a cousin of the candidate to the vice-governorship of North Cotabato - was shot dead while driving a motorcycle.
This brings the death toll of this four month campaign to 33. Added to this, the 57 victims of the massacre of Maguindanao, last November, when a group trying to register their election candidate were kidnapped and executed by the rival Ampatuan clan.
Today from 7am to 6pm about 50 million Filipinos are going to the polls to decide who will be their president, vice-president, 250 members of Congress, 12 senators (out of 24) and over 17 000 local and provincial representatives.
Violence, quite common in the country, has not lessened the desire to participate: usually over 80% of the electorate participates in the vote.
The desire of the vast majority is to turn the page on the corruption scandals that have emerged during the presidency of Gloria Arroyo. Benigno Aquino, the son of the late President Cory seems to be the most favored. The latest polls put him at 43%. Next, but at quite a margin, (20%), former President Joseph Estrada, a very charismatic former actor, capable of swaying crowds. Different personalities are vying to snatch a seat in Congress. Among these is the famous boxer Manny Pacquiao and Imelda Marcos, widow of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
For the first time, electronic machines are being used in the ballot, but there is concern that they will not function properly due to recurrent power failures or technical failures.
To avoid such an outcome, the Election Commission (Comelec) has assigned polling stations to parishes in the country. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (Ppcrv), groups of young Catholic volunteers, are delegated to monitor the voting at polling stations and will be the only people to conduct a parallel vote count to the machine.
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