Trump-Like Mayor Favored in Philippines General Election

Local Editor

People in the Philippines are voting for a new president and other leaders, with outspoken mayor Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte the favorite to win.

Five candidates are running but Duterte led polls ahead of voting, despite controversial comments while campaigning and a hardline stance.

The campaign had been driven by public concerns about the economy, inequality and rampant corruption.

More than 100,000 police officers are on duty amid violence ahead of voting.

On Monday, seven people were shot dead in an ambush by unknown gunmen in the town of Rosario, in Cavite province, south of the capital, Manila.

The region had been considered an area of concern because of its political rivalries, said local media.

On Saturday, a mayoral candidate was murdered in the south of the country.

President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino is standing down as the constitution limits presidents to one six-year term. Filipinos will also pick a vice-president and local officials.

The election campaign had focused on reforming the economy, infrastructure, tackling corruption and crime and on the territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.

Duterte has run a campaign focused on law and order issues, but made many controversial statements, including saying that he would butcher criminals.

A former state prosecutor nicknamed "The Punisher", he had been mayor of the southern city of Davao for more than 22 years.

Duterte's closest rivals in the opinion polls are Grace Poe - a former schoolteacher and first-term senator - and Mar Roxas, a former investment banker and the grandson of the first president of the Philippine Republic.

President Aquino has been leading attempts to bring together other candidates in an effort to defeat Duterte. He warned that if Duterte were to be elected, it could mean a return to dictatorship.

However the other four candidates - also including Jejomar Binay and Miriam Defensor-Santiago - refused to step aside.

A vice-president, senators and about 18,000 local officials including mayors will also be elected.
More than 54 million people are registered to vote across the archipelago of 7,000 islands.

Voting began at 06:00 local time [22:00 GMT Sunday] and is due to end at 17:00.

But election officials said voting could be extended in some areas, because of problems with new electronic voting equipment, said the GMA news network.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team