Imelda Marcos Ends Run for President

Former First Lady Imelda Marcos formally ended her on-again, off-again campaign for president and threw her support behind front-runner Joseph Estrada. Marcos faces up to 12 years in prison on a graft conviction, and some analysts speculated that she gave her support to Estrada in exchange for a promise of a presidential pardon. She denied that, saying, “I will not accept clemency.” Polls had placed Marcos near the bottom of the heap for Monday’s balloting. Estrada, a mustachioed former movie star and Marcos ally who has pledged to help the poor, has an overwhelming lead in most pre-election polls despite accusations that he has a history of boozing and womanizing. The campaign for Monday’s election began with 83 candidates, of which 10 remain--still the longest list in Philippine history.