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Raissa Robles

About 1,000 riot police ringed Manila's presidential palace and 3,000 troops were put on alert yesterday as the Philippines braced for political chaos after  two presidential candidates claimed victory and promised to hold inaugurations.

The camp of incumbent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo   claimed victory soon after the May 10 presidential election  when an  exit poll conducted by Social Weather Stations  predicted her winning with an 8.58 per cent lead - by about two million votes.

But an unofficial tally by independent watchdog National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections  yesterday showed Mrs Arroyo's lead over matinee idol Fernando Poe Jnr shrinking to just 3 per cent - 40 per cent against 37 per cent.

The rest were split among three other candidates. Mrs Arroyo was leading Poe by 14 points on Monday.

Poe yesterday claimed his own count showed him winning by one million votes.

'They know I won, so why prevent me from declaring victory,' he said.

Amid assertions that Mrs Arroyo was stealing the election from him, Poe has ordered his aides to choose a site for his inauguration as the 15th president of the Philippines.

Police intelligence director Robert Delfin said Poe's victory claim was the opening shot in a 'plot' to unseat Mrs Arroyo that was being hatched with the connivance of communist forces and other presidential candidates.

Yesterday, Manila police chief Pedro Bulaong justified the deployment of riot police around the palace,  saying he had received  reports of planned protests by groups calling for the election to be held again.

The unfolding strategy, both police officials said, was to accuse Mrs Arroyo of massive fraud to justify her ouster.

The Philippines witnessed a double presidential inauguration and the toppling of a president for electoral fraud was after Ferdinand Marcos claimed victory in an  election in February 1986.

Claims of massive cheating by Marcos then helped trigger a 'people power' revolt that enabled Corazon Aquino to be sworn into office as Marcos held his own presidential inauguration.

Mrs Arroyo's campaign manager, Gabriel Claudio, threatened to have Poe charged with 'inciting sedition', even as her campaign spokesman, Michael Defensor, said a committee was overseeing preparations for her inauguration.



Troops on alert after Arroyo and Poe plan inaugural ceremonies