COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ Seven major organizations have joined forces to launch an independent election monitoring body aimed at safeguarding the polls from violence and irregularities as the May 12 elections draw near in southern Moro communities.
The Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC) was formally launched on Monday, May 5, inside the Notre Dame University campus in Cotabato City. Key civil society actors known for their advocacy on good governance, human rights, and Muslim-Christian solidarity backed the initiative.
The IEMC is a joint project of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG), National Citizensโ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), Notre Dame University, Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) – Cotabato, Climate and Conflict Action Asia, and the Coalition for Social Accountability and Transparency.
Polls Issues
The center will monitor the conduct of the May 12 elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), quickly disseminating reports on any electoral issues or potential violence via partner media outfits.
โWe are committed to keeping the public informed, especially in the Bangsamoro region and in Sulu,โ said IAG executive director Benedicto Bacani, noting that the IEMC will also be active during the landmark parliamentary elections in BARMM set for October 2025.
The move comes amid lingering security concerns and the high stakes surrounding electoral exercises in the region, which has long grappled with election-related violence and fraud.
Three sitting members of the Bangsamoro Parliament โ Health Minister Kadil Sinolinding Jr., Transportation and Communications Minister Paisalin Tago, and former Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo โ expressed support for the initiative during a press briefing on Tuesday, May 6.
Large Networks of Personnel to Feed Timely Updates
Both Sinolinding and Tago noted that their ministries maintain large networks of personnel across the BARMM provinces and cities, which could help feed timely updates to the monitoring center.
โWe support this initiative. Its purpose is sound and clearly promotes democratic values,โ said Sinarimbo, who was appointed to the Bangsamoro Parliament in March by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Catholic priest Fr. Benjamin Torreto, who helps lead the PPCRV in Cotabato City, emphasized that the IEMC also aims to document election-related challenges for future reference and reform.
Bacani and Torreto said the Commission on Elections in BARMM has been briefed on the centerโs operations, assuring stakeholders that the IEMC will remain non-partisan and transparent in its work.
With rising tension and deep political rivalries in parts of the region, the launch of the IEMC comes as a timely interventionโone that hopes to help build public trust in the electoral process, especially in areas where that trust remains fragile.
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