Aquino, won about 15 million votes, an estimated 5.7 million more than his closest opponent, Joseph Estrada. Aquino, whose victory, is seen as a result of his promise to fight corruption and eradicate poverty, reflects the public’s moral longing, in a country plagued with violence, corruption and poverty.

Aquino has said he will make prosecuting corrupt officials a priority. He also will have to tackle Marxist and Muslim insurgencies, a restive military, crime and political strife.

Leaders of US, China and Japan welcomed the rise of President Aquino III. Chinese President Hu Jintao said his country intends to deepen bilateral ties. “Under new historical circumstances, I would like to work with you to carry forward our traditional friendship, expand our mutually beneficial cooperation,” he said.

Aquino easily wins presidency in Philippine [Associated Press, 10 June 2010]
Aquino named Philippine president [Al Jazeera, 9 June 2010]
US, China welcome Aquino victory in Philippines [Associated Press, 10 June 2010]

Aquino, 50, who campaigned on the slogan “If there’s no corruption, there’s no poverty”, had announced his plans to stand for elections only after the death of his mother in August 2009. With more than two-thirds of the election returns, Liberal Party bearer Aquino’s lead, reflects a desire among Filipino voters to break away from the country’s problems with corruption.

The Philippines used computers to count ballots for the first time in the 2010 elections, transforming the tallying procedure from one that took a few weeks under the manual system.

Aquino Leads Philippine Presidential Race [Wall Street Journal, 11 May 2010]
Aquino Heads for Victory in Early Tally of Philippine Election [Bloomberg, 10 May 2010]

Police on Mindanao island pulled bullet-riddled bodies from shallow graves after gunmen allegedly hired by a local political chief abducted and shot dead a group of politicians from a rival clan and accompanying journalists.

As thousands of troops fanned out across the ultra-tense Maguindanao province on Mindanao, President Gloria Arroyo declared a state of emergency for the area that would allow curfews and road checkpoints to be imposed.

“No effort will be spared to bring justice to the victims and hold the perpetrators accountable to the full limit of the law,” Arroyo said on national television.

National police spokesman Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina told reporters in Manila that 24 bodies had been recovered on Tuesday, on top of 22 that had been found on Monday.

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Source: AFP (through Channel NewsAsia), “Philippines declares emergency as massacre toll hits 46,” November 24, 2009, http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1020339/1/.html

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said at least 10 local reporters were part of Monday’s convoy, but police spokesman Leonardo Espina said Tuesday that authorities had identified the remains of only one so far.

Their newspapers and radio stations have not been able to reach any of the journalists, raising fears that they were killed. If confirmed, it would be the “largest single massacre of journalists ever,” according to Paris-based Reporters Without Borders.

“Covering the news has always been dangerous in the Philippines, but the wanton killing of so many people makes this an assault on the very fabric of the country’s democracy,” said Bob Dietz, Asia program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York.

The president’s office termed Monday’s attack the worst political violence in recent history. Many among the 24 dead were women, including two lawyers, Espina said.

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Source: Associated Press, “24 killed in election massacre in the Philippines,” November 24, 2009, http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ha6FJ6JRsaJkvGnvppty2USWW8UAD9C5IL8O0