PHILIPPINES: IMELDA MARCOS WITHDRAWS FROM PRESIDENTIAL RACE

English/Nat

Former Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos withdrew on Wednesday from next month's presidential election, saying she wanted to help prevent the campaign from becoming emotional and violent.

The wife of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos has lagged far behind in popularity polls, with recent surveys giving her about 2 percent of the vote.

Imelda Marcos was surrounded by about a hundred of her supporters as she arrived at the graft court in Manila on Wednesday.

It was an emotional moment for the former first lady as she announced her decision to withdraw from next month's presidential race.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"To save the Filipino people from the ultimate injustice of a possible bloody election,
I, Imelda Romualdez Marcos, now withdraw from the presidential race on May 11, 1998, and I now call on all the Marcos loyalists and the entire Filipino people to be vigilant in the forthcoming election and to safeguard the votes so that democracy prevail."
SUPER CAPTION: Imelda Marcos. former presidential candidate

The announcement brought tears not only to Mrs. Marcos's eyes but also to her loving supporters.

The wife of ousted strongman Ferdinand Marcos said that the government's continuous persecution of the Marcos family led to her decision to get out of the race.

She added that her family has been subjected to relentless injustice and hopes that her withdrawal from the race will put a stop to it.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Hopefully it's a peaceful protest because enough is enough. Whatever this government .....what's to do more, what more can they do?
SUPER CAPTION: Imelda Marcos, former presidential candidate

Mrs Marcos made her announcement outside the graft court as her son Ferdinand Marcos Junior was testifying in a suit to recover some of his father's wealth.

The Philippine government says Ferdinand Marcos and his associates siphoned off billions of dollars during his 20-year rule.

But the Marcos family has denied any wrongdoing.

They claim to have entered into a compromise with the Philippine government in exchange for the dropping of charges filed against them.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"That is the purpose for all compromise. Why we will enter into a compromise except for the fact that they have pressured us into it by filing all these spurious cases against us, and forcing the conviction, as they have done to my mother, as they have done with me.
SUPER CAPTION: Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

The anti-graft court, is the same court that convicted Mrs. Marcos of graft and sentenced her to up to 12 years in jail.

At the moment she is out on bail pending an appeal.

Before her withdrawal from the race, there were 11 presidential candidates contesting the election, in which a new vice president, members of Congress, and many local
officials will also be chosen.

The leading presidential candidate, former movie star Joseph Estrada, has a 30 percent support rating, according to recent surveys.

Marcos was ousted in 1986 by a "people power" revolt and fled to Hawaii, where he died three years later.
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