Benigno Aquino III set for landslide Philippines election victory

Benigno Aquino is set to become the next Philippine president. Photograph: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images

Son of former president Corazon Aquino vows to fight corruption as count puts him ahead in presidential poll

Tuesday 11 May 2010
Associated Press in Manila
guardian.co.uk

Benigno Aquino III, the son of former Philippine president Corazon Aquino, promised today to fulfil his campaign promise to fight corruption as he headed for a landslide victory in the country's presidential elections. "I will not only not steal, but I'll have the corrupt arrested," Aquino, 50, said in his first comments since yesterday's poll. 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 $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% of the votes from about 78% of the precincts, while his closest rival, ousted President Joseph Estrada, had 25.5%.

There is no runoff in the Philippines, home to 90 million people, and whoever has the most votes is declared winner.

Despite glitches with new computerised counting machines and violence that has 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% among about 50 million eligible voters, the elections commission said.

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy's congratulation letter to the Philippines' president-elect

Benigno Aquino (Photograph: Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images)

May 11, 2010

Mr. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III
President-elect
Manila
Republic of the Philippines

Dear Noynoy,

I was so happy to learn today about your brilliant election as the new President of the Philippines. On this auspicious day, please accept my heartfelt congratulations and my very best wishes for the successful fulfilment of your historic mission at the helm of your country.

The tidal wave leading to your election as President of the Philippines brings an unprecedented hope not only to the Filipino people but to all the peoples in Asia who are longing for real democracy, better governance and social justice.

Among those peoples are the Cambodian people whom the Members of Parliament from the Sam Rainsy Party have the honour to represent.

My colleagues and I will remain always grateful to your regretted mother Corazon Aquino, to yourself, to all Congressmen, Senators, officials and members of the Liberal Party of the Philippines for your warm welcome to some twenty Members of Parliament from the Sam Rainsy Party in Manila, during my first exile from Cambodia in November 2005.

Thanks to the special relationship between the Liberal Party of the Philippines and the Sam Rainsy Party, in the framework of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and through personal contacts, your friends in Cambodia consider the Philippines as their second home in Asia and are eager to work even more closely with likeminded people in your beautiful country.

At the invitation of the Liberal Party of the Philippines and along with many other members of CALD, I will be very happy to attend the official ceremony inaugurating you as President and Manuel "Mar" Roxas II as Vice-President of the Philippines, in Manila on June 27-July 1.

I look forward to having the honour of meeting you again on that great occasion.

With my highest regards,

Sam Rainsy
Cambodia’s opposition leader

Is a Presidential election the answer?

By M.H. Lao
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 1/10, November 20-December 3, 1992

Lately there have been moves to hold a presidential election in Cambodia prior the election of a constituent assembly.

Proponents of this idea see it as a way out of the present impasse over the implementation of the Paris peace accords, an impasse which has resulted from the Khmer Rouge's refusal to abide by Phase II of that peace plan on the grounds that the Supreme National Council (SNC) has not been performing the role provided for in the accords.

However, a body of opinion does not see a presidential election as a solution. Such people view it as unacceptable since it was not provided for in the Paris agreements.

Suppose that the Paris accords could legally be amended to accommodate the presidential election. Would it provide a solution to the present impasse? Or might it not complicate the implementation of the Paris peace accords and destroy them in the end? Could the cure not kill the patient? Who would pay for such a miscalculation? This article attempts to explain some possible scenarios and answer these questions.

Would a presidential election be a democratic election?

All parties have agreed to a multi-party democracy for Cambodia. Elections through which the Cambodian people could exercise their right to self determination-in particular, to choose their leader-should be warmly welcomed and supported as they are part and parcel of that democracy.

In the present Cambodian context, however, proponents of the presidential election may have in mind only one candidate; that is, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, currently Head of State and President of the Supreme National Council (SNC) of Cambodia.

Would this election be simply a plebiscite for one candidate, denying other Cambodians their right to present themselves as presidential candidates? If so, would that famous multi-party democracy be simply a farce to fool the Cambodian people who are currently being taught democratic principles and human rights?

A presidential election, in conformity with multi-party democracy, must be a democratic, free and fair election, in which all eligible Cambodians could stand as candidates and vote. There must also be a neutral political environment conducive to such an election. In such an environment it might be too early to assume that Prince Sihanouk would be the only unchallengeable candidate.

Would the incumbent head of state win with enhanced credibility and authority?

Up to now many have believed that Prince Sihanouk is Cambodia's most popular leader. According to this point of view, the Prince enjoys the trust of all Cambodians and is the worthy, unchallengeable Head of State and SNC President. He would win a cut-and-dried victory in any election. This belief is not unfounded, judging by the size of the crowds Prince Sihanouk has been addressing around the country and from "opinion polls." Such a development would then provide both him and the Cambodian democratic process with added legitimacy.

However, thus far Prince Sihanouk has enjoyed all the spotlight and has been praised by all, even hypocritically. No one has dared to come out yet and put forward his or her ideas on the governance of the country and challenge Prince Sihanouk.

When and if there is a neutral environment, adequate security for freedom

of expression, and the opportune moment, there could well be other Cambodians who might stand for election as president-for reasons of self publicity, for the sake of multi-party democracy, or genuinely with a vision and a political program for their nation.

Unexpected circumstances such as these should be allowed for and the participation of more candidates should be encouraged and supported by all believers in multi-party democracy and human rights.

During election campaigns, all candidates invariably try to unearth and publicly expose the weaknesses of their opponents. Many potential candidates cannot be sure that they would gain credibility, respect, and authority in that election, since they do have their respective weaknesses-particularly those who have been at the helm of the state in the past.

In a competitive race for president, one scenario might be that the incumbent Head of State-for whom many Cambodians and foreign dignitaries have great respect and on whom many have pinned their hopes-emerges the winner with enhanced stature and authority.

But if the unexpected is allowed for, worse scenarios are possible: the election could open a Pandora's box of grievances and get out of hand; the incumbent Head of State might lose the election; he might quit; etc.

In all these scenarios it is not certain that the cure (the presidential election) will in any way be better than the disease (the impasse over the implementation of the peace plan). But what is patently certain, as has been the case thus far, is that it is the Cambodian people themselves who will pay with their lives and limbs for any miscalculation.

The proponents of the presidential election as the solution to the present impasse may be reminded of the following words of Oliver Cromwell: "I beseech you under the bowls of Christ, think you might be mistaken."

- M.H. Lao is a member of the London-based Center for Research into Communist Economies.