Partisans of Ramos Lead in Elections
President Fidel Ramos’ candidates took early leads Monday in national elections marked by violence that claimed at least 18 lives and forced postponement of balloting in several communities.
Early, unofficial tallies by several media and church groups showed Ramos’ candidates leading for at least nine of the 12 Senate seats. Official results are expected in three weeks.
Tensions rose in the Philippine capital and elsewhere as rivals traded fraud charges during the cumbersome vote count. Two people were injured Monday when a grenade exploded in front of the town hall in Ternate, 30 miles southwest of Manila.
In Olongapo, former home of the U.S. Subic Bay naval base, police fired a water cannon late Monday to disperse about 1,000 opponents of mayoral candidate Kate Gordon, whose family has controlled politics in the area for decades.
Voters chose 12 senators, 204 House of Representatives members and thousands of local officials.
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