President Arroyo wants incidents of violence investigated

A mayor and his aide were the latest victims in pre-election violence that has killed some 30 people since campaigning began in February.

Private armies of politicians are being blamed for much of the unrest.

Filipinos will vote to fill some 17,000 seats at national and local level when they go to the polls on 14 May.

They will elect 12 senators, the entire 230-seat House of Representatives as well as town council members, mayors and provincial governors.

Mayoral targets

Mrs Arroyo called for military intervention amid alarm at the upsurge in violence.

She ordered manned checkpoints to be set up across the country, the seizing of unauthorised firearms as well as a prompt investigation of all cases of election violence.

"I am calling on the armed forces to reinforce the police to stop election violence and move forcefully against those using force and intimidation for partisan ends," she said.

"I strongly urge candidates of all parties and persuasions to keep tensions at bay and not to test or defy the authorities."

Her statement came hours after the mayor of a northern town, Julian Resuello, died after being shot at a local festival on Saturday night.

An aide also died and several others were wounded in the attack in San Carlos, 160km (100 miles) north of Manila.

In a separate incident, another mayor survived an assassination attempt after gunmen attacked his home in the town of Morong, also north of Manila.

Pre-election violence is not unusual in the Philippines, where rival politicians often maintain their own armed groups to harass and intimidate opponents.

More than 140 people were killed during the 2004 presidential elections.