World is watching: Int’l observers to monitor PH mid-term polls amid escalating election violence

Press Release
April 23, 2025

MANILA – The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) has officially launched its International Observer Mission (IOM) for the 2025 midterm elections, vowing to monitor the polls amid rising concerns over electoral violence.

“The Philippines has long been a hotspot for election-related violence, particularly in rural areas,” said ICHRP Vice-Chairperson Patricia Lisson in the online press conference. “As a global human rights coalition, we are once again deploying the IOM to support Filipinos in protecting their civil and political rights, including the right to free and honest elections. The eyes of the world are on the Philippines.”

This is the second IOM mounted by ICHRP after deploying more than 60 observers in the heated 2022 presidential elections. The previous mission was able to document election-related human rights violations, including vote buying, failure of the vote-counting system, misinformation, red-tagging and threats, and killings.

“The 2022 election did not meet the standard of ‘free, honest and fair’ because prevailing conditions robbed the voters of access to reliable information, access to the voting places without intimidation, and access to credible vote counting system,” says former Australian Senator Lee Rhiannon and now serving her second time as IOM commissioner.

This 2025, the IOM is led by a group of Commissioners with long-standing records in monitoring elections, democratic governance, humanitarian work, and peace-building. Aside from Lee, the IOM Commission includes General Secretary Rev. Michael Blair of the United Church of Canada, Sylvain Goldstein, Asia Director for General Confederation of Labor–CGT (France), and Colleen Moore, the director of Peace With Justice at the General Board of Church and Society (USA). Additionally, Xavier Cutillas, who is the President of the Catalan Association for Peace–ACP.

The mission responds to the call for impartial, international scrutiny of the Philippine electoral process, amid persistent reports of state-sponsored harassment, and election-related killings, and fraud. The IOM will be looking closely at the disenfranchised Filipino communities, particularly in rural areas where it’s highly militarized with state and private armed groups. “Now, we are seeing an intensification of violence on the ground as reported by our local partners. We are determined to carry out this mission and document these cases,” says Commissioner Colleen Moore.

"The situation remains that political elites operate their own bailiwicks, private armies, and patronage networks, which fuel the highest levels of violence in the archipelago’s rural areas," says Prof. Danilo Arao, convenor of election watchdog Kontra Daya and official partner of IOM 2025.

The country's Elections Commission, Comelec, recorded 46 incidents of political violence between January 12 and April 11. However, according to the monitoring of IOM local partner Vote Report PH, “red-tagging is still the highest among violation categories, amounting to 78.72% of our 733 reports as of April 11. Since the official start of the campaign period in the local government, election-related violence rose in numbers,” says Vote Report PH data analyst Ian Aragoza.

“Red-tagging in the Philippines poses a grave threat to democracy, and we’re seeing its intensification during election season,” warned Prof. Danilo Arao, convenor of election watchdog Kontra Daya. “Activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens are being harassed, attacked, and in many cases, killed, often by state forces such as the military and police.” Arao said, adding that Kontra Daya will continue working with the IOM 2025 to document election-related violations and political repression on the ground.

A UN human rights expert has recently sounded the alarm on red-tagging, as it frequently leads to threats, unlawful surveillance, and even unlawful killings. This practice not only intimidates individuals but also stifles freedom of expression, undermining legitimate activism, journalism, debate, and criticism, all of which are essential components of a democratic society.

In its methodology, the mission will monitor election-related violations in the Philippines, including political violence, red-tagging, vote-buying, electoral fraud, and disinformation campaigns on both mainstream and digital platforms. It will also closely track violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and human rights, particularly in militarized areas and communities of rural and indigenous peoples.

“These elections are unfolding under the shadow of deepening repression and the entrenchment of political dynasties,” said ICHRP Vice-Chairperson Patricia Lisson. “We are here in solidarity with the Filipino people, and we are committed to documenting the truth on the ground.”

From February to May, the mission will cover the official campaign period, election day on May 12, and the critical post-election phase. International delegates will be stationed across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, especially in areas known for electoral violence. Teams will document violations through interviews with voters, poll watchers, and local groups, while remote observers will monitor overseas absentee voting and digital election manipulation.