Foreign observers’ presence not election interference – Comelec chief

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said campaign period ends on May 10, two days before election day. — Inquirer file photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia said the presence of international observers is not an interference as the country holds its midterm national and local elections on Monday.

Garcia made this remark as he confirmed that 52 more international observers, particularly from Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Taiwan, Armania, and Tajikistan, are in the country to observe the May 12 polls.

“We are happy about this because in a way, it is just a symbol of their desire to see how we are coping, if there is really an improvement, what are the problems, what are the differences. It is not interference, we do not consider it interference in the election because in the end they will just observe, and perhaps make some recommendations. It is still up to us what we will accept,” he said in an interview on Saturday.

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He said the 52 international observers are Comelec-sponsored to show that “our elections are transparent and open.”

“This means that we have nothing to hide when we talk about elections,” he added.

Garcia said other countries also invite the Philippines to observe their elections, citing the recent invitation of Romania to observe its presidential polls.

“The Philippines is always invited to observe in countries when they hold (elections), whether national or local,” he said.

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“We want them to learn something, maybe there is something new that we are doing, methods that they can adapt, and that can also help them to enhance their democracy. In the same manner, when we visit to observe their elections, we are also looking at the good aspects of their elections that we can adapt.”

Garcia earlier clarified that foreign observers are not allowed to enter polling precincts on election day.

He said last Friday that the Comelec welcomed observers from the US Republican Party.

“And a few days ago, I went to the US Embassy and met 60 observers who will be deployed in the different parts of the country to observe the polls,” he added.

On May 7, the European Union (EU) also deployed about 104 “short-term” observers for the conduct of the May 12 elections.

The observers will be positioned across all regions in both urban and rural areas during the polling, automated counting, and canvassing of results.

The EU also deployed 72 long-term observers to observe the polls in pairs and cover all regions in the country, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. /dl