MANILA, Philippines?Early results of the country?s first automated balloting gave Liberal Party presidential candidate Benigno ?Noynoy? Aquino III an early lead of more than 3.3 million votes over his nearest rival, former President Joseph Estrada.

Aquino got 8,958,396 votes based on 57 percent of the election returns electronically counted by the Commission on Elections as of 11:11 Monday night, Comelec Chair Jose Melo announced at a press briefing.

When asked to comment on the results so far, Aquino, in a text message, said: ?We are still trying to make sense of all the data we are getting.?

In the vice presidential race, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay was leading Sen. Manuel Roxas II by more than 700,000 votes.

Estrada of Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino was a surprise second over Nacionalista Party standard-bearer Manuel ?Manny? Villar, a consistent second-placer in surveys until last week.

The former action star got 5,678,821 votes, while Villar had 3,058,942.

Administration presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro Jr. was in fourth place, with 2,347,274 votes.

Evangelist Eddie Villanueva was a far fifth with 684,782.

Richard Gordon received 340,487; Nicanor Perlas, 29,832; Jamby Madrigal, 27,050; and JC de los Reyes, 24,612.

Melo said Binay, Estrada?s running mate, received 8,935,188 votes while Roxas, Aquino?s running mate, garnered 8,153,093 votes.

Loren Legarda, Villar?s running mate, was a far third with 2,297,058. Bayani Fernando got 641,839; Edu Manzano, 394,308; Perfecto Yasay, 220,824; Jay Sonza, 37,182; and Dominador Chipeco, 27,580.

Voter turnout

A total of 14.47 million votes were counted as of 9:45 Monday night, Melo said.

He placed the voter turnout at 75 percent of the 50.7 million registered voters.

?When you wake up [today] about 80 percent of the results shall have been transmitted. You will have a very clear trend on who will be the next president, vice president and senators,? said Cesar Flores, president of Smartmatic Asia, provider of the voting and counting machines.

?This seems to be the victory of the Filipino people with God?s help,? Melo said.

Celebration of democracy

The country?s first automated elections saw long lines during the early hours of the voting, raising fears of massive disenfranchisement.

Former Comelec Chair Christian Monsod said the long lines of voters were ?a celebration of democracy.?

?I was with the Indonesian delegation Monday and they are here to learn from us because they are also going to automate. I told them you just watch. You watch how our people in elections are going to be disciplined,? he said.

Roan Libarios of the poll watchdog Lente (Legal Network for Truthful Elections Inc.) said that ?by and large, despite the grim picture painted before, the election was successful.? With reports from Kristine Alave and Gil Cabacungan