GMA warns opposition against destabilizing govt

Street protests by the political opposition aimed at destabilizing the government would be crushed, President Arroyo vowed Saturday as she fended off allegations of massive fraud in the May 10 elections.

Opposition figures accusing the government of rigging the vote should present evidence instead of merely making sweeping allegations in the press, Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye said.

"Any attempt to destabilize the government will be a blatant travesty of the Filipino people's will as expressed during the May 10 elections," Bunye said.

"We discourage those disgruntled politicians and their allies from any sinister plans, which will be met with the full force of the law."

Complaints of election fraud would be checked, but due process should be observed "so we can reinforce the rule of law and temper post-election violence," Bunye said.

He urged all political leaders to "stop street protests" and instead help bring back normalcy five days after the bitterly fought elections -- the most violent since the ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986.

As of Friday, a total of 143 politicians and supporters were killed in pre and post-election violence.

Arroyo's chief rival, Fernando Poe Jr., accused government of cheating in the May 10 polls but urged calm among his huge following.

However, his friend, detained former president and opposition leader Joseph Estrada, called on the public to carry out massive street protests against the government.

Arroyo survived a rebellion by over 300 junior military officers allegedly backed by politicians loyal to Estrada last year.

The officers took over a portion of Manila's financial district of Makati, but returned to barracks less than 24 hours later after Arroyo threatened to use artillery to destroy their positions.

An exit poll by the credible Social Weather Stations (SWS) earlier said Arroyo appeared to have won the race, but a partial and unofficial count by the civilian poll watchdog National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) had her leading Poe by only 50,000 votes as of Friday.

Opposition candidates claim the extremely slow manual counting of votes, which is expected to be completed in about a month, could also be another avenue for cheating.

Presidential candidate Panfilo Lacson, who is in third place, said Saturday his campaign staff was preparing to file a complaint with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over reports that official canvassers in some areas were re-shuffled without prior notice.

Lacson said he asked his lawyers and volunteer poll watchers to remain in the field until the last ballot has been counted.

"I told them that until the last ballot is counted, we should be there. It's our obligation to those who voted for us. They placed their trust in us, we cannot do anything less but to make sure their votes are counted," he stressed.

Communist rebels, meanwhile, warned Arroyo on Saturday they would align

Storm 'Dindo' intensifies

Tropical storm "Dindo" has intensified further as it moves towards the general direction of Eastern Visayas, weather bureau Pagasa said Saturday.

Forecasters said the storm's location as of 2 a.m. was estimated at 540 kms east southeast of Surigao del Norte (9.3°N 130.4°E) with strongest sustained winds of 90 kph near the center and gustiness up to 105 kph.

Pagasa said the storm, which expected to intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours, is forecast to move west northwest at 11 kph.
abs-cbnNEWS.com

SARAH THE TEEN PRINCESS