Opposition Philippine presidential candidate and movie actor Fernando Poe Jr (4th L) joins hands with vice-presidential running mate Loren Legarda (3rd R) and senatorial bets during the final campaign rally in Manila's Makati financial district May 8, 2004. The Philippines goes to the polls on Monday to choose a president and 17,000 other officials at all levels of government in an election that is characterized by a tradition of vote-buying, cheating and violence.(Xinhua/Reuters)

A supporter of Philippine presidential candidate and film star Fernando Poe Jr. wears a campaign poster on his head during the last day of election campaigning in Manila's Makati financial district May 8, 2004.(Xinhua/Reuters)

A supporter displays a campaign poster of Philippine presidential candidate and film star Fernando Poe Jr. during the last day of election campaigning in Manila's Makati financial district May 8, 2004. Filipinos who are about to choose between the incumbent president and a famous film star got one last blast of campaigning on Saturday as talk of instability plots and terror attacks hung over Monday's elections.(Xinhua/Reuters)

    MANILA, May 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo renewed her calls for unity and reconciliation on Saturday,the last day of campaign period for Monday's elections.

    "The last day of the campaign demands no less than a final pushfor unity, reconciliation and healing from call camps," Arroyo said in a statement.

    "We have fought hard for every vote but in the end, it is the people's final decision that we must all safeguard and cherish," she said.

    Arroyo, who is seeking a full six-year term, has widened her lead over her main rival opposition presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr. in recent opinion polls.

    The latest and last survey before the elections, conducted by the Social Weather Stations from May 1 to 4 and released Saturday,showed that 37 percent of the 2,000 respondents would choose Arroyo for the presidency, compared to 30 percent for movie star Poe.

    "Let us now clear the air of hate and recrimination and preparefor an election that is befitting our most cherished democratic traditions," said Arroyo.

    Last month, Arroyo offered to share power with the opposition in the quest for unity should she be given a fresh mandate in Monday's polls.

    Responding to Catholic Church leaders' fears about massive cheating in the polls, she said, "If there are verifiable allegations of fraud, we shall be the first, at the behest of the Commission on Elections, to investigate these and swiftly immobilize and punish the culprits."

    Cardinal Ricardo Vidal said Friday a group of 18 military colonels reportedly approached him to warn that soldiers, teachersand government workers assigned to election duties were going to be used in a massive plot to cheat in Monday's polls.

    Arroyo also said she has ordered Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Narciso Abaya to "summarily punish" any active military personnel engaged in partisan politics.

    However, she cautioned of dignifying unverifiable allegations of fraud, otherwise, "we may end up being exploited by the hidden agenda of shadowy forces."

    On Thursday, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales accused the opposition of conspiring with elements of the militaryto cause massive and violent disruption with the aim of bringing down the government. But the opposition denied the charge.

    The administration and opposition camps have been accusing eachother of planning to cheat on May 10.

    In a related development, former President Fidel Ramos called on the Filipino people to have faith in the military, the police and other law enforcement agencies, as well as the Commission on Elections (Comelec), to enforce the law and protect the integrity of the ballot.

    Ramos said in a statement that as a soldier, he knows the professional loyalty and the democratic traditions that have been ingrained in the history of the uniformed services.

    "No amount of threats from any quarters can undermine the vote of the people to ensure their nation moves forward with dignity and honor as a result of the election," he said.

    In Monday's national and local polls, the country's some 43 million voters are to elect a president, vice-president, half of the 24 senators, all members of the House of Representatives, and more than 17,000 local elective posts from provincial governor to town councilors.

    At least 104 people have been reported to be killed and 127 wounded in 144 poll-related violent incidents since the election period began on Dec. 15, 2003, making this year's polls the bloodiest among recent elections.

    Authorities said earlier that almost all the field units of the113,000-strong military and some 80,000 policemen, or two-thirds of the police force, will be deployed nationwide to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections.

    In Metro Manila alone, the government has already deployed 17,000 soldiers and policemen with 20,000 more troops on standby status. Enditem