The Philippines’ first automated national election this week was largely fair, although there were irregularities in the remote southern regions, international election observers said yesterday.
Unofficial tallies from the election commission show Senator Benigno Aquino with a lead of 15 percentage points in the presidential race. Nearly 18,000 local and national positions were on offer in Monday’s election.
The Asian Network for Free Election (ANFREL) said voting in remote Muslim communities in the southern Philippines was marred by incidents of violence and fraud, including vote-buying, multiple voting, intimidation and harassment.
“There are glitches, there are some problems which should be rectified, but the election is reasonably acceptable,” Nepalese monitor Gopal Siwakoti told a press conference.
“The May 10 elections in the Philippines demonstrated notable progress in ensuring freedom of elections with a reasonably acceptable procedure, yet significant room for attaining international commitments and standards,” Siwakoti said.
Two other presidential candidates, who between them have less than 100,000 of the more than 30 million votes counted, have refused to concede to Aquino, saying they doubted the accuracy of the automated results.
“We are getting the results fast, but fast does not mean accurate,” Nicanor Perlas said. “It is premature to say that the elections were fair and honest.”
John Carlos de los Reyes rescinded an earlier concession to Aquino after getting reports of possible electoral fraud.
Tensions also mounted when Aquino’s team vowed to use the “enormous powers” of office to probe outgoing President Gloria Arroyo yesterday.
Arroyo has promised a smooth transition, but she angered Aquino this week by appointing a new Supreme Court chief justice.
Aquino’s Liberal Party said he had many options to carry out various probes against Arroyo once he assumes the presidency.
Arroyo allies have insisted she has nothing to fear from such probes.
Meanwhile, former first lady Imelda Marcos, newly elected to Congress, vowed yesterday never to compromise with the government in the battle for her family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth.
The widow of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos said she would be willing to discuss the wealth, but would not bargain on dividing the assets.
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