The Presidential candidates of the three leading political parties met on Friday at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and signed a pact whereby they pledged to discourage violence in the electoral campaign, respectfully accept the results on 16 May and to strengthen the nation?s democracy. President Hipolito Mejia signed on behalf of the PRD, while former President Leonel Fernandez signed for the PLD and former senator Eduardo Estrella signed represented the PRSC. The signing was officially witnessed by representatives from the Catholic Church and civil society. Also on hand was the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Judge Jorge Subero Isa; Luis Arias, the president of the JCE; Elena Viyella de Paliza, the president of the National Council of Business (CONEP); Jesus Vasquez Martinez, the president of the Senate and Deputy Manuel Alberto Sanchez, representing the president of the Chamber of Deputies. Representing the churches were Monsignor Ramon de la Rosa y Carpio, as president of the Conference of the Dominican Episcopate of the Catholic Church, and Reverend Reynald Aquino, as president of the Domincian Confederation of Christian Churches. The candidates also agreed to collaborate with the Central Electoral Board (JCE) in the voting process and remain heedful of the Constitution regarding the exclusion of the Armed Forces from partisan political participation. The pact was named ?Commitment for a Civilized Electoral Campaign and Strengthening of Democracy.? The signing at the PUCMM campus in Santo Domingo was coordinated by Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado, the university?s rector and the coordinator of the Commission for the Followup of JCE work. In a story commenting on the pact, the Listin Diario mentions how in the Dominican Republic it has been tradition not to follow the pacts signed by political parties.