Vote counting in the Philippines dragged into a third day on Thursday with signs of further delays ahead and no clear winner emerging in the important race for control of the Senate.
With an estimated 25.86 percent of votes counted, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's hopes of a crushing victory in Monday's legislative and local elections looked like being frustrated by supporters of her detained predecessor Joseph Estrada.
Partial, unofficial results made available by NAMFREL, a private poll counting body, showed Arroyo's People Power Coalition on course to win eight of the 13 Senate seats on offer.
Estrada's Power of the Masses party was on course to win four seats with an independent candidate likely to take the last.
Arroyo needs nine to ensure a solid majority in the 24-seat house.
Voting itself was comparatively peaceful but 100 people have been killed in political violence since campaigning began in January.
The latest incident of violence took place Wednesday evening when five civilians were injured as supporters of a losing mayoralty candidate in Cabuyao, south of Manila, barged inside the local municipal trial court while the canvassing of votes was being undertaken, according to police -- MANILA (Reuters)
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