Asian poll observers flag abuse of ayuda, vote-buying

The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) released Friday its interim report on its observation of the 2025 Philippine midterm elections, which flagged mainly the abuse of state resources and vote-buying.

In a press briefing in Manila, ANFREL Chairperson Rohana Hettiarachchie and four other observers presented their findings and reported their concerns on the overall election-related activities in the Philippines for Eleksyon 2025.

Hettiarachchie tagged vote-buying and the abuse of state resources as "disturbing factors" in the polls.

"The vote buying, I think it's public secret now. Everybody knows it is happening across the country, not only this elections, even in the previous elections. It's a very known factor that has to be addressed because otherwise, it will [give] undue advantage to the people, the candidate, [and] those with financial power. So somehow if we [want to] maintain equal playing field, we have to address this issue," the ANFREL chairperson said.

"The misuse of the public resources, and maybe the power also. That is also observed throughout the process, in many ways, the government resources being used and taken advantage of [by] some candidates. I think it's the duty of the Comelec that they need to address this issue," he added.

With this, Hettiarachchie recommended the implementation of a campaign finance ceiling.

Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati, one of the ANFREL panelists, also noted that vote-buying and the abuse of state resources did not happen only during the campaign period.

"It happens long before the elections, pre-election and even after the election because sometimes, it's like a reward and punishment to the voters. It's like the candidates who were elected, 'Okay, I will give you scholarship because you voted for me,' but the scholarship will not be given to the voters who did not vote for them," Agustyati said.

She said this might "look normal" for the people as this happens in periods like the beginning of the budgeting process.

"People think it's normal and legalized because [it happens] long before the elections," she said.

Ayuda and votes

While they acknowledged Comelec's Kontra-Bigay committee, ANFREL raised the need to expand its coverage to include the "ayuda" or cash dole outs to "level the playing field."

"The candidate that has no [state] resources cannot do that. It has become personal politics. It used the state funding, the money is from people's tax but it was claimed by the candidate," she said.

Like the ANFREL chairperson, Agustyati recommended the campaign finance documents to be more transparent and the enactment of a Freedom of Information law to push for transparency and accountability in the budgeting process, which contained details on the funding of the "ayuda" programs.

Voter 'apathy'

ANFREL likewise observed "apathy" on the part of voters in areas where there are "unopposed" candidates.

"This is partly, as we noticed, due to endemic issues of power entrenched in political families and dynastic politics," Jake Betram Barker, another panelist, said.

He also noted media reports showing the links of party-lists to political dynasties.

With this, Barker said the upcoming BARMM and Barangay and SK Elections polls later this year would test the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and the SK Law's provisions against political dynasties.

Barker said this should be monitored and noted by the Comelec and Congress for the possible enactment of a political dynasty law.

Ballot secrecy

Further, the election observers raised their findings on the situation in the polling precincts and ballot secrecy.

"In our opinion, the secrecy of ballot, it may not be a big issue in local contest but when it comes to international standards, the secrecy of ballot was not seriously looked at," Hettiarachchie said.

He added that although polling precincts were organized, the crowd outside the polling centers were "not managed properly."

ANFREL recommended the Comelec to increase polling officials that will manage the crowd.

Sought for comment on ANFREL's report, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in a message to GMA News Online: "We wholeheartedly appreciat[e] Anfrel for its direct and constructive assessment of the recently concluded election."

Garcia added, "As is clearly pointed out, to sum up the findings, legislation is the key. The Commission is dut[y] bound to implement all." — VDV, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.