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| Southeast Asia |
| Estrada vows no massacres |
| 2009-12-01 |
| [Straits Times] FORMER Philippine leader Joseph Estrada vowed on Monday that there would be no repeat of last week's political massacre under his watch, as he registered to run in next year's presidential elections. He was one of three opposition candidates to file their nominations for the May presidential poll amid a continued outpouring of national grief over the horrifying slaughter of 57 people in the volatile south of the country. 'That will not happen in my administration. I will never tolerate warlordism,' Mr Estrada said of the killings. A local mayor who was a member of President Gloria Arroyo's coalition, Andal Ampatuan Jr, has been charged with murder over the November 23 killings, and other members of his powerful clan have been named as suspects. The victims' relatives allege Ampatuan Jr organised the murders to stop a rival politician from running against him for the post of governor of Maguindano province next year. The other significant presidential contender to register his candidacy on the penultimate day for filing was billionaire property developer Manny Villar, who is running second in popularity polls behind Senator Benigno Aquino. Televangelist Eddie Villanueva was the other opposition candidate to register. |
| Posted by:Fred |