Even if the parliament declares Marcos the winner of last Friday's election, Kerry said, the long-time Philippine leader may have to make major concessions to opponents because the voting results will be far closer than he expected.

If he doesn't, Kerry said, Congress will be very reluctant to approve further aid to the Marcos government.

Kerry, a member of a U.S. team led by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) that observed last Friday's election said, the voting was marred payoffs, violence and ballot rigging.

But Kerry told a news conference, "The election process is not beyond salvation, providing the right pressures are brought to bear. I'm not saying you have to make a final judgment on the election today."

Kerry said while Clark Air Base and the Subic Bay Navy base are important to the United States, "we can't allow the bases to take precedence over the larger issue of our relationship with the people of the Philippines."

"If the bases become paramount in our policy, I assure you we will lose those bases [by alienating the Filipino people]," Kerry said.