“We stand with Filipinos in their pursuit of free, honest, and fair elections”
As polls open today in the Philippines, the International Observer Mission (IOM) expresses its collective hope for a peaceful election. With over 68 million registered voters expected to cast their ballots, we stand in solidarity with the Filipino people in their pursuit of free, honest, and fair elections.
While we remain hopeful, we cannot overlook the serious concerns witnessed by our international observers in recent weeks. These are concerns that echo the patterns of past elections. Early reports point to an uptick in electoral violence, widespread vote buying, and the continued harassment of opposition candidates, community leaders, and journalists.
“As we continue to accompany the Filipino people, our observers are inspired, not only by the level of political participation in the country but also by the strong desire for genuine change. Filipinos deserve to vote free from fear, fraud, or force,” said IOM Commissioner Colleen Moore. “We call on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to remain vigilant in the critical hours ahead, especially in areas historically vulnerable to violence and fraud.”
Our first IOM documented grave human rights violations in the 2022 national elections, including political killings, abductions, red-tagging, intimidation, and systemic disinformation. These patterns of violence and impunity are often linked to entrenched political dynasties. Their private armed groups pose a serious threat to the integrity of democratic processes.
In 2025, as in previous elections, the IOM’s concern is that violence would occur. Data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data project showed that in 79 percent of violent acts targeting local government members between 2018 and 2022, the perpetrators were never identified.
“The eyes of the international community are on the Philippines with our mission founded on solidarity,” Commissioner Moore affirms. “We believe in the power of the Filipino people to protect their vote. Our mission is here to bear witness and to help ensure that violations do not go unseen or unreported.”
The IOM will release its report within two weeks after election day. It will contain data and evidence of our findings on electoral and human rights violations from the documentation by ground teams deployed in election hotspots across the country.
The IOM will also provide relevant recommendations based on the findings of the mission, and will submit the report to the Commission on Elections, international human rights institutions, relevant United Nations bodies, civil society, and the media community.
In these final hours, the Mission and its trained observers remain steadfast in their commitment to monitor, document, and report on-the-ground developments with independence and integrity. We stand in solidarity with the Filipino people in their aspiration for a peaceful election: one where the sanctity of the vote is upheld, and the rights of all citizens are protected, not only on this day, but also in their continuing pursuit of democracy.#
