President’s Hold on Power at Stake in Philippine Vote

Ousted Philippine President Joseph Estrada voted from detention Monday in elections seen as a referendum on his successor, who was swept to power by street protests four months ago.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was sworn in Jan. 20 as Estrada packed to leave the presidential palace amid a political crisis over corruption allegations.

Political analysts say Arroyo’s coalition candidates need a strong showing in the race for 13 of the Senate’s 24 seats. Nine wins would give them an outright majority in the upper house, which is regarded as the most powerful governing entity after the presidency.

Voters were also filling the entire House of Representatives and 17,600 municipal and provincial posts.

A win in the Senate “would be a quasi-mandate for Arroyo” and probably would enable her to co-opt opposition lawmakers and consolidate her power, said political analyst and newspaper columnist Calixto Chikiamco.

Results of the violence-filled election--at least 67 people have been killed since January, including a congressman--won’t be known for several days. The country is spread over more than 7,000 islands, and it could take more than a week for some returns to trickle in. Officials predicted 80% turnout nationwide.

Irregularities at the polls were reported, and the election was marred by scattered violence and by fighting between government troops and Muslim guerrillas in the south.

In the northern town of Paoay in Ilocos Norte province, three supporters of the mayor were killed in an ambush late Sunday. In Naga, in central Cebu province, a man was shot and killed, allegedly by police, for disturbing a polling precinct.