Nine RI diplomats to monitor RP elections
Nine RI diplomats to monitor RP elections
Deutsche Press-Agentur Manila
At least 124 foreign diplomats have applied for accreditation to observe the Philippines' general elections next month, the country's poll body said on Tuesday.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) said the diplomats plan to spread out nationwide and monitor the vote in various polling precincts on May 10.
It said 79 of the diplomats were Americans, 12 Japanese, 12 Australians, nine Indonesians, eight British, two New Zealanders, one Portuguese and one Swedish.
The Americans plan to go to even areas where communist or rebels operate, such as the southern provinces of Lanao del Sur and Misamis Oriental, the commission said.
COMELEC officials said the number of foreign observers in the upcoming elections have already surpassed those who came for the 1998 general elections. However, they could not give the exact figure for the 1998 polls.
More than 40 million Filipinos are eligible to vote for a president, vice president, 12 senators, more than 200 members of the House of Representatives and about 17,000 local officials on May 10.
On Tuesday, thousands of policemen and soldiers who would be on duty during election day began to cast their votes. They have until Thursday to vote.
Last month, overseas Filipinos voters cast their votes in various polling centers around the world.
The elections are considered to be one of the most hotly- contested in recent history.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is vying to keep her post and has taken the lead in the presidential race, overtaking her strongest rival, movie star Fernando Poe Junior.
She urged the public and candidates to help ensure that the May 10 elections are clean, honest and peaceful.
"Power bred by violence does not make a strong democratic system that will bring us the political and economic stability to create jobs, expand education or deliver on the health needs of our people," she said.
"The right of the people to choose freely must be inviolable and be fought for by all," she added.
Philippine elections are traditionally marred by violence and accusations of massive cheating.
According to police, at least 72 people have died and more than 120 others have been injured in various election-related violence since December.