MANILA: Despite the outbreak of violence that killed three people and injured nine more, voting in the Philippines to pick a new President and 18,000 other officials continued on Monday.
Over 65.7 million eligible voters cast ballots at 37,211 polling stations across the country, which opened at 6 a.m, the centres will close at 7 p.m. The Vice President, 12 Senators, nearly 300 members of the House of Representatives, and over 17,000 municipal authorities will also be elected. The son of late President Ferdinand Marcos, presidential contender frontrunner Ferdinand Marcos Jr., 64, cast his ballot in the morning at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School in Batac City, Ilocos Norte province.
Maria Leonor Robredo, the incumbent Vice President, voted at her hometown of Naga City in the Bicol province. She expressed her wish for a peaceful and transparent election process. Sara Duterte-Carpio, the 43-year-old daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte and the leader of the Vice Presidential campaign, voted inside a high school in her hometown of Davao City on Mindanao island.
Violence has erupted across the Philippines as the election process proceeds. Three persons were killed and one was injured in a shooting at a polling station in Maguindanao province, according to Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano. In Buluan town, he said, attackers opened fire on members of the local peacekeepers. Another strafing incident was recorded by the Commission on Elections on Monday morning in Sumisip, Basilan province.
Presidential election campaign in Philippines nearing the final stretch
Sri Lanka PM Rajapaksa quits amid worst economic crisis
Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves sworn in