RP vote count drags on, no clear winners
RP vote count drags on, no clear winners
MANILA (Agencies): Vote counting in the Philippines dragged
into a third day amid tight security on Thursday with no clear
winner emerging in the race for control of the Senate.
With an estimated 28.60 percent of votes counted, President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's hopes of a crushing victory in Monday's
legislative and local elections looked like being frustrated by
supporters of her detained predecessor Joseph Estrada.
Partial, unofficial results made available by NAMFREL, a
private poll counting body, showed Arroyo's People Power
Coalition on course to win eight of the 13 Senate seats on offer.
Estrada's Power of the Masses party was on course to win four
seats with an independent candidate likely to take the last.
Arroyo needs nine to ensure a solid majority in the 24-seat
house.
Voting itself was comparatively peaceful, but senior military
officials on Wednesday said about 100 people have been killed in
political violence since campaigning began in January.
However, Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday
contested the death toll, saying some cases were not election-
related killings. Their records show 76 deaths.
Even after the elections, the police force remained on alert
to prevent violence and thwart any attempts to sabotage
canvassing of votes, a process under which local votes are
tabulated in what are called certificates of canvass and then
sent to provincial or regional headquarters to be tallied.
"The president is closely monitoring the elections. For
instance, if there are even slight reports of fraud, she has been
asking her political leaders and allies to check it out,"
Presidential spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao said
Senate results will not be released until all certificates of
canvass from all provinces have been tallied. Because of
different population in provinces, it is difficult to forecast
the results of the senatorial race until more than 80 percent of
votes have been counted.
Philippine stocks bobbed in a tight range to close softer as
political jitters kept investors sidelined. The benchmark stock
index closed down 0.6 percent on Thursday at 1,453.03 points on a
small turnover.
"The market shows it is in favor of eight winners from the
administration, anything lower than that is considered
unfavorable," said Joan Bueno-Eala, fund manager at Bank of the
Philippine Islands (BPI) Trust.
For the second day in a row, the government Commission on
Elections (Comelec) said the official count had been delayed.
Rebellion
In a further development, the Philippine government on
Thursday vowed to pursue rebellion charges against opposition
politicians even if they win in the senatorial elections.
Justice Secretary Hernando Perez said the immunity from arrest
accorded to members of the Senate "will not be applicable" if
they are charged with rebellion.
He noted that the privilege is limited to crimes carrying a
penalty of up to six years. Rebellion is punishable by life
imprisonment.
At least two opposition candidates accused of leading a failed
rebellion against President Arroyo are among the potential
winners in the race for 13 seats in the 24-member Senate.
Perez said charges of rebellion will be filed against Senator
Gregorio Honasan, who is seeking re-election, and former police
chief Panfilo Lacson, even if they win.
"If we find enough evidence against them, we will file charges
even if they are already senators," Perez said in a radio
interview.
Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Juan Ponce Enrile,
seeking re-election, have also been linked to the rebellion. It
was not yet clear if they will make it back to the Senate.
Enrile has already been charged with rebellion, but was freed
on bail a week before the May 14 elections.
Honasan and Lacson went into hiding after the alleged
rebellion failed. They resurfaced two days before the voting
after Arroyo promised that they would not be arrested.
Tens of thousands of loyalists of jailed former president
rioted outside the Malacanang presidential palace on May 1,
leaving four people dead and more than 100 others injured.