EU election observation mission for May polls going smoothly

The European Union election observation mission in the Philippines for the May 12 elections is going smoothly so far.

Marta Temido, chief of the EU election observers team, made the announcement during the arrival of the 104 short term EU election observers who will be deployed across the country starting today, May 7, until Election Day, May 12.  

The batch of 104 observers is the third and last EU observation team to arrive in the country. 

A delegation of the European Parliament and 21 other accredited members of the diplomatic community accredited in the Philippines are also set to join the EU election observation mission this week.

These are in addition to the core team of analysts who arrived in March and 72 election observers who arrived in April, bringing the total to 226 individuals.

“Not at all. It is going smoothly and peacefully,” Temido said in a press conference when asked if EU election observers raised any concern over their deployment so far.

“We are in touch with them all the time,” she added.

Temido said the presence of short term observers will enhance the mission's reach and capacity on election day as well as during the polling, automated counting and canvassing of results.

“The mission will be visiting different precincts from the opening at five o'clock in the morning to the closing at seven o'clock in the [evening] then each team will observe the closing procedures at one polling precinct and remain there until the counting operations are over,” she said.

After each visit, Temido said that the European poll observers will fill out an observation form and send it to the mission’s headquarters in Manila.

"With the observation of the election day proceedings, this mission aims to contribute to the integrity of the election without interfering nor validating its results,” she added.

The preliminary report of the mission will be released on May 14 or two days after the elections.

The release of the full report will then follow in July.

“The recommendations will be the legacy of this mission and they are offered to the consideration of people and authorities in the same spirit of cooperation and partnership with the Philippines that marks our presence in the country of the Philippines,” Temido said.

“The EU Election Observation Mission is independent and will remain impartial, abiding by the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and its Code of Conduct, as well as the laws of the Philippines,” she added.

Asked if pre-election surveys are also factored in the EU Election Observation Mission, Temido said their primary concern is securing that every Filipino is free to exercise his or her right to vote.

“Our concern is regarding the freedom of Filipinos to vote. So if surveys are helpful for them to make up their mind, they are useful. But more than everything else, our concern is regarding Filipinos' freedom of expression and freedom of exercise of the right to vote,” Temido added.

She earlier said that her team will also look at reports of foreign interference in the May 12 elections. —KG, GMA Integrated News

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