Marcos Charges Fraud--Already

Deposed Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos claimed Sunday that fraud took place before the polls even opened for a referendum on a proposed constitution in his homeland.

“There is already massive wrong being committed by the Corazon Aquino government,” Marcos said. “I have been informed that massive cheating and fraud has already happened.”

Marcos said lower-level workers for both the national and Manila city governments were offered 100 pesos (about $5) apiece to vote today for the constitution.

Marcos left his home-in-exile here with his wife, Imelda, shortly after noon in a station wagon in a four-car convoy that traveled to a house several miles away, where they attended Mass.

Cars driven by aides attempted to keep reporters from following the motorcade. Marcos returned home after the Mass and rested, a spokesman said.

Marcos was ousted in February, 1986, after widespread fraud was alleged in the Philippine presidential election. His opponent, Aquino, assumed the presidency after he fled to Hawaii amid a civilian-backed military revolt that followed the election.