Aquino pledges probe into Arroyo

Senator Aquino, who is heading for a landslide victory in the Philippine presidential elections, has promised "clean" government. He said a commission would look into graft accusations against incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whose term expires at the end of June.

Aquino also said Arroyo should be investigated over a phone call she is alleged to have made to the election commissioner during the counting of votes in the 2004 elections that brought her to power. Critics have accused her of rigging the polls.

Controversial appointment of new chief justice

Aquino criticized Arroyo on Wednesday for appointing an ally, her former chief of staff Renato Corona, as the new chief justice. Observers saw the move as an attempt to shield the outgoing president from these probes. All the serving judges of the Supreme Court but one have been appointed by Arroyo.

With vote-counting nearly complete on Wednesday, 50-year-old Aquino had an unassailable lead of about five million votes over his closest rival, former President Joseph Estrada.

tb/dpa/AFP/Reuters
Editor: Disha Uppal