What passes for progress

last updated 8 January 2015

Manila

Authorities said 121 people were killed during the campaign for this week’s Philippine parliamentary elections, down from 189 killed in the 2004 elections. “Over all, the situation was generally peaceful,” said national police official Avelino Razon Jr. The reduction in violence, though, accompanied an increase in cheating. Various parties offered voters gifts ranging from money to pickled herring and women’s panties. In some places, candidates’ names were struck from the ballots; in others, voters were bused in from faraway districts to vote multiple times. The votes have to be counted by hand, so President Gloria Macapagal–Arroyo won’t know for at least a week whether she retained control of parliament. If the opposition wins, it says it will impeach her on charges of cheating in the 2004 elections.