MANILA, April 7 -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday ordered two candidates in local posts for the May 12 midterm elections to explain their unsavory remarks in recent campaign sorties.

In separate show cause orders, the Comelec through the Task Force on Safeguarding against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (Task Force Safe) ordered reelectionist Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia and incumbent Mataasnakahoy, Batangas Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan, who is running for governor, to explain such utterances.

On April 3, Unabia said only beautiful women should be given nursing scholarship grants, adding that patients' conditions might worsen if they are attended to by male or ugly nurses.

He also said politicians from the Bangsamor...