Heavy Security Marks Voting in Philippines

MANILA —  The Philippines voted in crucial elections today to choose a new president and Congress after a bitterly fought campaign in which 60 people died in guerrilla attacks, bombings and assassinations.

President Corazon Aquino, who is not running, promised a free and fair election. She is supporting former Defense Secretary Fidel V. Ramos, one of seven presidential aspirants.

More than 160,000 soldiers and police were on full alert to guard against violence during the polling and complicated vote count.

The polls opened at 7 a.m. (4 p.m. PDT Sunday), but the first unofficial results were not expected until at least 16 hours later, and conclusive results could take days. Officials predicted a turnout of 85% of the 32 million voters.

No clear leader had emerged from among the presidential contenders, who include Marcos’ widow, Imelda. Some 30% of the voters were believed to be still undecided on the eve of the vote.

In an effort to woo the bloc of undecided voters, administration supporters mounted a last-minute push to stop businessman Eduardo (Danding) Cojuangco, Aquino’s estranged first cousin and a close ally of Marcos. A strong showing for Cojuangco could be a reaction to the turbulent Aquino era, which has been rocked by seven coup attempts, economic turmoil, natural disasters and continuing Marxist and Muslim insurgencies.

Fifteen policemen were killed and five were wounded Sunday in an ambush in Cagayan province about 300 miles north of Manila.

A sudden upsurge in violence could threaten the election, in which voters also must fill more than 17,000 national and regional positions from among more than 87,000 candidates.

Besides Ramos, Cojuangco and Imelda Marcos, the presidential candidates include House Speaker Ramon Mitra, former Judge Miriam Defensor Santiago, Vice President Salvador Laurel and Sen. Jovito Salonga.

Only Marcos and Santiago have generated genuine excitement.

Marcos maintains an ardent following, though she is given little chance of winning.In an election eve flourish, she went shopping Sunday and bought what has become her trademark: shoes. Marcos left behind 1,200 pairs at the presidential palace when she and her husband fled in 1986.