At least 10 people were killed today in the Philippines as voters went to the polls in a national election. The violence prevented tens of thousands of people from casting their ballots.

Four civilians were killed when gun battles erupted outside a polling centre in the province of Lanao del Sur. Election officials fled as the fighting broke out between supporters of rival mayoral candidates.

A councilman was shot and killed in northern Abra province, and a campaigner was stabbed to death in Manila. Police say 40 people have now been killed since campaigning began.

An exit poll released just before voting ended suggested a big win for former movie star Joseph Estrada. It said 36.1 per cent of 13,491 people it polled around the country said they voted for Estrada.

That's more than double the 18 per cent who said they voted for his nearest rival, House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

Business people and elites have criticized Estrada for his lack of economic knowledge. The Catholic church has denounced him for his womanizing, gambling and drinking.

It 's expected to take as long as two weeks to count all the votes, from 42 million people across the 7,000 islands that make up the Philippines.