Aquino vows to wipe out corruption
Source: Agencies |
May 12, 2010, Wednesday
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PHILIPPINE Senator Benigno Aquino III, whose parents fought to topple a dictatorship, promised yesterday to fulfill his campaign promise to fight corruption as he headed for a landslide victory in the presidential elections.
"I will not only not steal, but I'll have the corrupt arrested," Aquino, 50, told a news conference in his first comments since yesterday's polls.
Massive corruption has long dogged the Philippines, tainting electoral politics and skimming billions of public funds in a country where a third of the population lives on US$1 a day.
Aquino, whose father was assassinated while opposing Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship and whose mother led the 1986 "people power" revolt that restored democracy, was leading the nine-candidate presidential race with 40.2 percent of the votes from about 78 percent of the precincts. His closest rival, ousted President Joseph Estrada, had 25.5 percent.
Whoever has the most votes is declared the winner in the Philippines, home to 90 million people.
Despite glitches with new computerized counting machines and violence that claimed at least 12 lives, election officials hailed yesterday's vote as a success in a country where poll fraud allegations have marred previous contests. Turnout was 75 percent among about 50 million eligible voters, the Elections Commission said.
The United States Embassy congratulated Filipinos "for achieving another milestone in their nation's democratic history." It said it looked forward to a "smooth transition" and working with the new government to "deepen the friendship and partnership between our two nations."
Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, the European Union's ambassador to the Philippines, said the "admirable patience shown by the voters were an impressive proof of the resolve of the Philippine people to have their voice heard."
Flamboyant former first lady Imelda Marcos won a seat in the House of Representatives, and boxing star Manny Pacquiao was also on track for a seat.
"I will not only not steal, but I'll have the corrupt arrested," Aquino, 50, told a news conference in his first comments since yesterday's polls.
Massive corruption has long dogged the Philippines, tainting electoral politics and skimming billions of public funds in a country where a third of the population lives on US$1 a day.
Aquino, whose father was assassinated while opposing Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorship and whose mother led the 1986 "people power" revolt that restored democracy, was leading the nine-candidate presidential race with 40.2 percent of the votes from about 78 percent of the precincts. His closest rival, ousted President Joseph Estrada, had 25.5 percent.
Whoever has the most votes is declared the winner in the Philippines, home to 90 million people.
Despite glitches with new computerized counting machines and violence that claimed at least 12 lives, election officials hailed yesterday's vote as a success in a country where poll fraud allegations have marred previous contests. Turnout was 75 percent among about 50 million eligible voters, the Elections Commission said.
The United States Embassy congratulated Filipinos "for achieving another milestone in their nation's democratic history." It said it looked forward to a "smooth transition" and working with the new government to "deepen the friendship and partnership between our two nations."
Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, the European Union's ambassador to the Philippines, said the "admirable patience shown by the voters were an impressive proof of the resolve of the Philippine people to have their voice heard."
Flamboyant former first lady Imelda Marcos won a seat in the House of Representatives, and boxing star Manny Pacquiao was also on track for a seat.
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