Manila (AsiaNews) As election polls open up across the country, government authorities have said that at least 16 have died during election-related violence.
Yesterday public security forces killed 7 armed men who threatened citizens to vote for certain local candidates on the island of Masbate. An election watchdog official for was killed this morning in Daanbatayan (Cebu Island). Two campaign promoters were killed in Manila following grenade explosions in the capital. Another 6 lost their lives in Zamboanga del Norte in two separate ambushes. Government officials say that the three-month long election campaign has cost the lives of at least 104 persons so far.
Over 43 million Filipinos were called today to vote for the country's next president, vice-president and local representatives. Elections in the Philippines are often marred by violence created by armed guard units of local rulers forcing voters to cast ballots for their candidates or by Marxist guerrilla groups rejecting the electoral process and abducting candidates for extortion.
Yesterday at St. Augustine Church in old part of the capital (Intramuros), Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales of Manila celebrated noon mass with all 5 presidential candidates in attendance: current president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Fernando Poe Junior, Raul Roco, Ping Lacson and Fratel Eddie Villanueva, leader of a charismatic movement. Former president Cory Aquino had invited the five leaders to the Mass to pray for peace and unity throughout the nation.
At the start of the Mass the 5 candidates went near the altar, praying: "Give me (oh Lord) the humility to accept the election results, whatever they may be, to my advantage or disadvantage, so that everything is for Your glory, forever and always."
During his homily Archbishop Rosales asked candidates "to defend the Constitution, the dream of every Philippine." The last 58 years, he continued, have caused division among the nation through the imposition of martial law, various coup d'état, little interest in politics and corruption.
The archbishop reminded those in attendance that 63% of the nation is living in poverty. Rosales further said that such destitute, at every election, are ever the more marginalized: "Save the poor from added suffering!"
When commenting on rumors of a possible coup following the elections, the prelate said, "Remember that it is the poor who suffer the most. There should be no room for violence or personal ambition. Rather, we should leave room especially for development and the rebirth of our nation. Refuse to resort violence!"
At the end of the Mass, Cory Aquino told AsiaNews, "I believe that if we gather together for prayer, God will answer our requests."
The former president has launched an appeal to the whole population to turn out to vote today and "help keep elections in check. But the most important thing", he added, "is to pray for one another."
We are all Filipinos and we must begin taking care of one another," Aquino said.
