Chilling echoes of the past in Philippine election

Millions are expected to vote today in an election that eerily recalls the 1986 snap polls in tension and excitement.

The election 24 years ago, which was marked by massive cheating and fraud, resulted in the overthrow of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The one today is widely feared to be heavily tainted by fraud and finds many of the same players of 1986 in contention, but in somewhat different roles.

The leading presidential contender is Senator Benigno 'Noy Noy' Aquino, son of the late Corazon Aquino, a political neophyte and plain housewife who was denigrated as knowing nothing about governing when she ran against Marcos in 1986. Aquino, too, is being put down by rivals as an intellectual lightweight, a non-achiever and even smeared as 'autistic' and of an unsound mind.

Ranged against Aquino and his Liberal Party are three presidential candidates who were all part of Marcos' corrupt and repressive government: Joseph Estrada, Richard Gordon and Gilberto Teodoro.

Then there's the dictator's son, Ferdinand 'Bong Bong' Marcos, wife Imelda and daughter Imee, who all occupied various government posts.

Aquino himself is strangely allied with Imee's first cousin, Michael Keon, who is running against her to represent the Marcos stronghold province of Ilocos Norte in Congress.

An even more bizarre alliance is that of the communists with 'Bong Bong'. Congressman Satur Ocampo and Congresswoman Liza Maza are running with Marcos under the Nacionalista Party.