DESPITE THE PERSISTENCE of the opposition movement and Corazon Aquino's come-hell-or-high-water campaign attitude, Hell came to the Philippines in an international spectacle last Friday that was officially called--it sticks in our throats to say it--election day.

Under Marcos' misrule and martial law government, the Filipinos have put up with a long tradition of election fraud--that is, when there are elections. Friday's election farce culminated two months of campaigning by Marcos and Aquino; it should also culminate Marcos' power. It is now up to the United States to apply pressure in order to achieve that end.

Forget the ballots; Marcos has already made sure they will not be counted. What emerges from the fraud, the violence and the chaos of contradictory "quick counts" on election results is that Marcos is no longer the favored leader of the Philippines and maneuvering to stay in power by hook or by crook. In light of the civil unrest and the near-standstill in vote counting, the situation is on the verge of disaster, not of getting better.

Though in the past the U.S. has botched its role in the Philippines, we now have a chance to atone for that history and do something good. Whether she has 51 or 55 percent of the "official vote," it is time to back Corazon Aquino. Marcos, meanwhile, should be strongly encouraged by his Uncle Sam to do as did "Baby Doc" Duvalier and catch the next plane out.

Dissenting Opinion

IT IS THE height of arrogance to suggest that the U.S. has the right to engineer the overthrow of an allied government, that to do so would benefit the people, or even that it has the power to make such a move.

Furthermore it is an insult to ask the people of the Philippines to "forget the ballots" before the returns have been tabulated. Democracy is not an easy process in most of the world, but must be worked towards, not forsaken at the first sign of difficulty.

To advocate the abandonment of the democratic process is to advocate its only alternative: rule by might. Whether this may mean a coup or a revolution, it means a dark future for Philippine politics. Neither Corazon Aquino, the moderates, or the Philippine people will benefit.