Five people were killed in the Philippines on Sunday as tensions flared on the eve of national elections, which are expected to see favourite Benigno Aquino win the presidency in a landslide. The build-up to the elections has been typically tumultuous for one of Asia's most free-wheeling democracies, with dozens of people killed, ferocious mudslinging and dark rumours of illegal power grabs.
Five people were shot dead on Sunday in two remote parts of the country involving gunmen loyal to local candidates, while communist guerrillas also destroyed five vote counting machines, authorities said. But the military and police, which have deployed tens of thousands of personnel to protect polling stations, insisted Monday's elections were expected to proceed without major unrest. "We expect some violent incidents here and there (but) we are prepared for the election. All systems are go," national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina told reporters.
Election officials also said they would be ready when polls open and up to 80 percent of the 50 million eligible voters were expected to cast ballots using a computerised tallying system for the first time. Aquino has established a huge lead over his rivals by pledging a new style of clean government following nearly 10 years of rule under President Gloria Arroyo, whose reign has been tainted by allegations of massive graft.
"The problems before us were caused by people putting their own selfish interests before the common good," Aquino, a balding 50-year-old bachelor, told thousands of cheering supporters at his final public rally in Manila on Friday. If opinion polls are correct, Filipinos hungry for an end to the corruption that plagues the country are about to give Aquino the biggest win in Philippine election history.
Two major independent surveys released over the past week gave him voter support of between 39 and 42 percent, a two-to-one lead over closest rivals former president Joseph Estrada and property magnate Manny Villar. The frontrunner is the only son of former president Corazon Aquino and her assassinated husband, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, who are revered by many for spearheading the restoration of Philippine democracy in the 1980s.
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