MANILA, March 5 -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is encouraging national and local candidates in the May 12 midterm elections to sign peace covenants to have a fair and peaceful campaign season.

"We continue to encourage all candidates and the local Comelec is also trying to discuss issues before the Department of Education, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines with all candidates so that the campaigning will be fair, the elections will be orderly, and our countrymen will be able to go out and vote freely, and have the assurance of returning home safely after the elections," Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing Wednesday.

At the same time, the poll bod...