MANILA: Philippine government troops have pounded rebel positions in North Cotabato in the south.

Despite the violence, voting in local elections in the six-province Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) proceeded smoothly.

Fighting between government troops and separatist rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in North Cotabato intensified on Monday.

One soldier and two rebels were killed, and dozens more injured in the clashes that erupted after MILF fighters ignored a government deadline to leave villages they had forcibly occupied. The ongoing gun battle has displaced as many as 130,000 people.

Ronaldo Puno, Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, said: "Unfortunately, we have not been able to escort many families back. Through the task force, we had to absorb a 10-fold increase in evacuees."

Despite the fighting, elections in the six provinces of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao went ahead.

As early as 7am, Filipinos in the provinces of Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi turned up at 1,903 voting centres to cast their votes for a new governor, a vice governor and 24 members of a regional legislative assembly that would serve a three-year term.

At least 60 percent of the 1.5 million registered voters voted using automated voting machines for the first time.

The Commission on Elections is optimistic that the elections in the southern Philippines will lay the foundations for the modernisation of the country's elections.

Monday's regional elections will not only serve as an acid test for the full automation of the 2010 national elections, but will also hopefully restore the credibility of the country's electoral system.

Ballot padding and shaving incidents have marred Philippine elections in the past.

Jose Melo, chairman of the Commission on Elections, said: "We want to show to the people that we are earnest in holding clean elections."

Rene Sarmiento, commissioner of the Commission on Elections, said: "With this automated elections, we are confident that this cheating will be vastly reduced, the vote padding and shaving will be reduced with the fast and quick voting, counting and transmission of results."

The Commission on Elections promises to proclaim the winning candidates in 36 hours. - CNA/de