Voting in RP's first automated polls starts

MANILA, Philippines  -- Voting in the country's first automated presidential and local elections started in 36,679 polling stations at 7 a.m. today as scheduled.

Polling stations are open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. More than 50 million Filipinos were registered to vote this year, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In the hometown of Liberal Party standard bearer, Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, people started queuing early at the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Elementary School where he will cast his vote. As early as 5 a.m., foreign and local media were also already present to witness Aquino, son of democracy icons Sen. Benigno  "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and former President Cory Aquino, casting his vote.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo arrived early in his hometown in Lubao, Pampanga and was the first to vote in her polling precinct.

At the polling precinct where Lakas-Kampi-CMD standard bearer Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro will vote in Barangay Carabaoan, Mayantoc, Tarlac, a prayer was said before election officials opened the PCOS machines and inspect the ballots and election paraphernalia.

Voting also went smoothly early this morning at the polling precinct of Nacionalista Party standard bearer, Sen. Manny Villar, in his home turf in Las Piñas City.

Except for some agitated voters who expressed frustration with the slow movement of the voting lines, no problems were encountered so far at the clustered polling precints at the STI Elementary and High School in BF Resort Village, Las Piñas.

In Bocaue, Bulacan, Bangon Pilipinas presidential candidate Bro. Eddie Villanueva voted early at Precinct 121-A of Bunlo Elementary School.

Asked to comment on the conduct of the polls in the early hours, Commissions on Election (Comelec) Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said, "We are both nervous and excited," at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

"Nervous because you really don't know what to expect; excited because this is it. A lot of Filipinos are looking forward to this day," he added.

Seven areas in the Philippines were placed under Comelec control on Saturday due to incidence of escalating elections-related violence. These areas include Nueva Ecija and Abra; Bequey in Cagayan; Davao City in Davao del Sur; Dasol in Pangasinan; Pantao, Ragat and Matungao in Lanao del Norte and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Comelec said.

In a resolution, the Comelec said it decided to put these areas under their control because of threats, heightened political rivalries, electoral anomalies, presence of armed groups and history of election-related violence.

To implement the resolution, the Comelec had ordered the creation of a special task force composed of the highest Comelec, police and military officials in the concerned areas.

The latest survey conducted by Social Weather Station on May 2 and May 3 showed Aquino getting a 42 percent preference rate, 22 percent ahead of former President Joseph Estrada, who got 20 percent.

Another poll body Pulse Asia said four in every 10 Filipinos support Aquino. His two major rivals Estrada and Manuel Villar Jr. had a supporting rate of 20 percent each.

In the Philippines, elections have always been marred by violence. According to police statistics, 229 election-related violence incidents occurred during the congressional mid-term election in 2007, killing 121 people and injuring 176; 249 election-related violence incidents occurred in the 2004 general elections, causing the death of 148 people and injuring 261 people.

Before the 2010 general elections, election-related violence were rampant, with the Maguindanao massacre, the worst ever in the Philippines, killing at least 57 people including media workers and pregnant women were slain. -- Xinhua, Dennis Carcamo, Dino Maragay and Vernadette Joven