In Philippines elections, Duterte leads presidential race in early vote counting

World Today

Front-running presidential candidate Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Partial returns of votes cast in the Philippines presidential election showed on Monday that Davao city mayor Rodrigo Duterte had a strong lead over his rivals.

Five candidates are vying to succeed President Benigno Aquino III.

At the quick count tabulation centre of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the only accredited vote count body authorised by the elections commission, electronic boards showed Duterte leading with more than 10 million votes, followed by Senator Grace Poe with more than 6 million votes, counted from 62 percent of the voting precincts.

In the vice-presidential race, Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son and namesake of the ousted dictator, was ahead of his closest rival, Congresswoman Leni Robredo, by less than a million votes.


Mike Hawkins on the outcome of the Philippines election

For more on the latest in the Philippines election, CCTV America’s Elaine Reyes spoke with Mike Hawkins, former Fulbright Fellow to the Philippines.


Voters raise concerns, fears of fraud in Philippines elections

Millions of Filipinos headed to the polls on Monday to choose a new president and 18,000 other local and national officials.

It is the third automated elections for the country but as CCTV’s Barnaby Lo reports, it turned out to be just as eventful as past Philippine elections.

The three-month campaign period that preceded today’s election had been the most vicious and divisive in recent memory. Allegations of fraud were already being thrown before the election has even started. That’s why Filipinos are keeping a close watch on their votes.

The glitches exacerbated fears that the elections could be rigged. But the head of the Commission on Elections’ citizen watchdog says she’d be more wary of human interference than machines.


Marc Mealy talks about the Philippine’s election and country’s tech industry
For more on Monday’s election in the Philippines and for a deeper look into the country’s startup industry, CCTV America’s Rachelle Akuffo spoke with Marc Mealy, vice president of policy at the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council.