A cliffhanger race to lead the Philippines began today with the adopted daughter of a dead movie star and a tough-talking politician who claims to kill criminals among the top contenders.
The three-month election campaign got under way with four presidential aspirants standing a genuine chance of succeeding Benigno Aquino, who is a popular leader but is prevented by the constitution from running for a second term.
Since emerging from dictatorship three decades ago, the Philippines has seen its political scene dominated by elite families, celebrities, corruption and violence, which have contributed to near-constant chaos.
Those factors are once again dominant themes in this year's contest for the presidency, as well as the thousands of national and local posts up for grabs in the May 9 elections.
The current presidential front-runner is Grace Poe, an inexperienced politician who is riding a wave of popularity among the tens of millions of poor Filipinos for her adopted father, Fernando Poe Jnr.
"I owe this top ranking... To the Filipino people, who continue to put their faith in my capacity to lead the country," Poe said today after a second national survey released in recent days put her on top with about 30 per cent support.
Poe's father became one of the nation's most loved actors by playing characters who championed the poor, then nearly translated that into political success by coming second in the 2004 presidential elections.
Poe, 47, only launched her political three years ago when she entered the Senate, but has enjoyed huge success by trading on her father's name while portraying herself as a reliable, honest advocate of the poor.
However, opponents have petitioned the Supreme Court to disqualify Poe, arguing she cannot prove she is a "natural-born Filipino" because she does not know who her biological parents are.
The Supreme Court could also disqualify Poe for failing to meet residency rules, because she spent many years living in the United States and gained US citizenship before renouncing it and returning home.
If Poe is knocked out, with a court ruling expected during the campaign, the nation would be plunged into political turmoil with three contenders who are currently each polling about 20 per cent support ready to pounce.
