The Philippine Congress started a potentially explosive count of May 10 presidential ballots yesterday, with camps of both Pres-ident Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and film star Fernando Poe Jr. claiming victory and issuing threats if their candidate is cheated out of a win.
Riot police guarded access roads around the Congress building as security was tightened for the vote count that is expected to take weeks. Only Congress can proclaim the winning president and vice president, who are to take office on June 30.
Congressional leaders announced a 22-member committee, dominated by pro-Arroyo lawmakers, that will do the actual tally, then unlocked the first of more than 200 ballot boxes in a symbolic act to kick off the process. The actual count is expected to begin in a few days.
RSS