“There is no harmonised version of the election code, nor a mechanism to document which provisions are no longer in force. This affects the legal certainty of the texts, as is the case with the applicable provisions on international observation. Campaign finance is insufficiently regulated,” the mission stated.

MANILA – Despite the invitation from the Philippine government and mutual agreement, the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) was denied full access to all the polling precincts and the canvassing centers.

In a press conference on Wednesday, May 14, EU EOM’s chief observer Marta Temido said that they were informed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) four days before the elections about the decision, informing them that the necessary guarantees for adequate access to precincts will no longer be granted, which is an essential element of EU’s observation methodology.

“Disregarding prior commitments, the Comelec’s assertions that EU observers were not allowed in the voting precincts, widely reported in the media ahead of election day, undermined the EU EOM’s ability to meaningfully observe voting procedures,” the EU EOM said in its preliminary statement. 

Due to this development, the international mission did not deploy the full team as originally planned. The observers were also denied entrance in eight of the 92 precincts, despite the written assurances provided by the Comelec.

“This EOM has been present in the Philippines since 28th of March 2025, following an invitation from the Comelec. Its mandate was to assess the entire electoral process against the Philippines Constitution, laws, international commitments and standards for democratic elections,” said Temido.

The credibility of mission

The mission accredited 226 observers from EU member-states Canada, Norway, and Switzerland. The head of the parliamentary delegation from the European Parliament, Vladimir Prebilic, said that the EU has observed more than 250 elections in 80 countries.

“Observing elections is not an interference in the sovereignty of the host country,” Prebilic said, emphasizing that it has been conducted in full respect of the Philippines’ sovereignty and laws. “The deployment of such a mission, moreover, involved the use of considerable resources of the EU, both in financial and organizational terms.”

He also revealed in the press conference that police elements were specifically ordered by the Comelec to not allow the international observers inside the polling areas. 

This is the first time that the European Union has observed the elections in the country, stating that it was a source of pride and an opportunity to strengthen the relations between the EU and the Philippines. They hope to have a frank, clear, and transparent exchange with electoral authorities since it is the heart of their missions.

“The absence of such dialogue made it very difficult for us to understand the sudden change of position regarding our observation mission in your country,” said Prebilic.

The EU EOM is a recipient of the Wilson Award for Public Service for their important role in defending democracy, given by the Wilson Center, a non-partisan policy forum that addresses pressing global issues through independent research and open dialogue.

Some major findings

“The elections were held against the backdrop of election-related violence, including on election day, widespread vote buying, the continued dominance of few political families and a legal framework that is fragmented, dispassive and lacks coherence,” said Temido.

Citing media reports, Temido added that at least 30 people were killed in the period leading to the elections. On election day, at least 10 persons were killed. “Some may say that the violence was less severe than in previous elections here in the Philippines. However, there is no room for violence in a democratic society.”

This violence is also coupled with vote-buying and the dominance of few political elites, Temido added. They received credible reports of vote-buying not only through cash and goods, but also in forms of relief (ayuda) distribution. They documented cases in Bohol, Davao Oriental, La Union, Quezon, Siquijor, Zamboanga City, and Zamboanga del Sur.

Read: Vote-buying during PH elections remains ‘endemic,’ EU observers say

In a study by Kontra Daya, 55 percent of the party-list groups participating in the 2025 elections are linked to political dynasties, big businesses, police/military connection, corruption, and dubious advocacy. Meanwhile, data from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) stated that 216 out of 253 district representatives belong to political families. From this figure, 142 are re-electionists and 67 have relatives who seek to replace their position.

Read: More than half of party-lists linked to political dynasties, big businesses and corruption cases

The delegation stated that the legal basis for the conduct of democratic elections is compliant to the international commitments and standards signed by the Philippines. However, they dubbed the electoral rules as complex, as it is scattered through multiple laws and Comelec resolutions that may be outdated.

“There is no harmonised version of the election code, nor a mechanism to document which provisions are no longer in force. This affects the legal certainty of the texts, as is the case with the applicable provisions on international observation. Campaign finance is insufficiently regulated,” the mission stated.

The mission recommends revision on provisions on voters eligibility, candidate registration and status, campaign finance, complaints and appeals, and sanctions. They added: “Its regulatory interventions have at times amounted to de facto law-making leaving some of the initiatives open to legal challenges.” (AMU, RVO)

Disclosure: Bulatlat engaged in dialogues with the European Parliament delegation and the media analyst from the EU Election Observation Mission.