Report of the International Observer Mission (IOM) for the 2025 Philippine Elections

Read the full report in PDF form here

Red-tagging finds its way on top of the list of campaign violations for the 2025 Philippine midterm elections. A prevalent human rights violation characterized as harassment, intimidation and vilification, in the Philippines it is an act of labelling individuals and groups as members, supporters or affiliates of armed communist insurgents. Overwhelmingly, it comprises 78.7 percent of the violations monitored by election watchdog and 2025 IOM partner Vote Report PH as of April 30.

Red-tagging traces its roots in McCarthyism during the 1940s and 1950s in the United States. Under the backdrop of a Cold War against the Soviet Union, the US government engaged in a widespread witch hunt for individuals suspected of espousing left-leaning beliefs and ideologies. The Philippine state has similarly engaged in red-tagging for decades, often targeting progressive individuals, activists, human rights advocates, and anyone it perceives as critical of its policies. It has seen an unprecedented spike under the Duterte administration and continues without let up under the Marcos Jr. government.

On May 12, Filipinos will exercise their right to vote in the 2025 midterm elections. Aside from being one of the hallmarks of democracy, the election season is also the period when the Filipino population is the most politically active. It is a natural time for people and candidates to have vibrant and honest discussions about the problems faced by the Filipino people, including the hurdles that stand in the way of genuine economic progress, peace, and security, and solutions to these problems.

On February 20, 2024, the Philippine Supreme Court declared in their groundbreaking decision on Derudo v Vinoya that the practice of red-tagging is a threat to the fundamental right to “life, liberty, and security.” On February 19, 2025, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) also issued Resolution No. 11116 which says that “branding individuals, groups, or organizations as “vocal dissenters,” “activists,” or sympathizers of subversive or terrorist groups” without evidence is considered unjust labeling and could lead to penalties. Individuals red-tagged by state institutions and their agents are accused of supporting the communist insurgency and are harassed, threatened, even disappeared or killed. Despite the Supreme Court ruling, the Marcos Jr. administration has failed to take measures that would end red-tagging, including abolishing the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). 

This government task force was formed under Duterte and has persistently carried out the practice against activists, leaders of people’s organizations, journalists and lawyers. UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan in her visit to the Philippines last January 2024 recommended that the NTF-ELCAC be abolished, a move supported by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR). 

But despite these legal deterrents and strong condemnation by several institutions, data from election watchdogs show that red-tagging continues unabated. Progressive electoral candidates regardless of affiliation are targeted in these elections.

The multi-faceted character of red-tagging has earned it the distinction of being an electoral violation, a human rights violation, and an international humanitarian law (IHL) violation all at the same time. Red-tagging also constitutes a war crime since civilians’ lives are endangered when they are linked to the armed movement of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF). In some cases, red-tagging is followed by surveillance, harassment, abduction, and even outright killing. 

The massacre of the Fausto family in Negros Occidental clearly shows the dangers of red-tagging. Billy Fausto and his wife Emelda Fausto, along with their two minor children Ben and Raben were massacred inside their homes in the late night of June 14, 2023. Prior to the horrific killings, Billy Fausto and his family have been routinely red-tagged and accused of being supporters of the NPA. There were also instances when Billy was forced by the military to guide them in their nightly patrolling in the area. Billy and his spouse were merely members of a local farmers and farmworkers association.

Swaying people from casting their vote for any candidates through fear, intimidation, and disinformation campaigns is the opposite of a fair, free, clean and honest election process. Red-tagging silences those discussions by trying to discredit, through misinformation and harassment, proposals for reforms and people-centered solutions.  These discussions give substance to the right to vote by giving voters the chance to engage with and affirm candidates that have the political will to respond to the pressing problems faced by the people. 

Case Studies

Karapatan criticizes NTF-ELCAC for video red-tagging Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel

On February 18, 2025, human rights group Karapatan criticized the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for releasing a video that “Red-tagged” Kabataan party list Rep. Raoul Manuel. The group was referring to a video posted on the Facebook page of the NTF-Elcac on Feb. 6, which tagged Manuel as a recruiter for the New People’s Army (NPA).

Comelec Red-tagged by Fellow Government Agency

On February 20, 2025, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday accused a fellow government agency of “red tagging” the poll body, even as it issued a new policy prohibiting discriminatory and harassment acts during the campaign period for the May elections. Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the agency, which he declined to identify, sent a letter warning the poll body against issuing the new policy.

Makabayan Candidates File Complaint Against NTF-ELCAC for Red-tagging

On April 22, 2025, leaders and candidates from the Makabayan coalition filed an election offense complaint in the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) against the NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. for a series of red-tagging and defamatory statements against the coalition’s candidates during the campaign period. They said Torres Jr. violated COMELEC Resolution No. 11116 which prohibits “labeling” of individuals or organizations as terrorists, dissenters, and criminals without evidence.

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ICHRP is conducting an International Observer Mission in 2025 to monitor for elections-related human rights violations. Learn more at https://www.ichrp.net/IOM2025

The International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) will be monitoring this year’s elections in the Philippines! Here are some quick facts about our International Observer Mission 2025 (IOM).

You can also find out more at https://ichrp.net/IOMFactSheet.

What is the IOM?

The International Observer Mission (IOM) is a people-led, independent election observation initiative rooted in international solidarity. It is organized by the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), a global network composed of faith-based groups, trade unions, lawyers, parliamentarians, academics, and human rights defenders across the globe.

The mission responds to the call for impartial, international scrutiny of the Philippine electoral process, amid persistent reports of state-sponsored violence, fraud, and foreign military interference. The IOM centers on disenfranchised Filipino communities, particularly in rural and militarized areas.

History and Context

Last 2021, Commissioners of the Independent International Investigation into Human Rights Violations in the Philippines (INVESTIGATE PH) in their 2nd and 3rd reports recommended that an independent international election observer mission be conducted to maintain the integrity of the May 2022 presidential elections. ICHRP responded by launching the IOM in 2022.

The IOM concluded that the 2022 Philippine elections failed to meet the international standard of a free, honest, and fair election.

The elections were marred by a failure of the electronic voting system, along with a high level of blatant vote-buying, widespread cases of red-tagging and documented cases of deadly violence. The report highlighted incidents of election-related violence, intimidation, harassment, and manipulation during the electoral process, which compromised the integrity of the elections and impeded citizens’ ability to participate freely.

Why Observe the 2025 Philippine Elections?

The 2025 elections unfold against a backdrop of:

• Escalating political rivalries between powerful dynastic blocs
• Rising electoral violence and militarization
• Widespread human rights violations, particularly in rural areas

What the IOM Will Monitor

• Election-related violence, intimidation, fraud, red-tagging, and vote-buying
• Disinformation and manipulation in both mainstream and digital platforms
• Violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), especially in communities affected by armed conflict and militarization
• Violations of Human Rights (HR), especially against rural and indigenous peoples

Meet the Commissioners

• Lee Rhiannon (Australia) – former Australian Senator
• Rev. Michael Blair (Canada) – General Secretary, United Church of Canada
• Sylvain Goldstein (France) – Asia Pacific Director, General Confederation of Labour in France (CGT)
• Colleen Moore (USA) – Director of Peace With Justice at the General Board of Church and Society
• Xavier Cutillas (Catalonia) – President, Catalan Association for Peace (ACP)

Methodology

The 2025 IOM will run from late April to mid-May, covering the May 12 election day, and has started to collect data and reports during the campaign period.

• International delegates from different countries will be deployed across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, focusing on areas with documented histories of electoral violence
• IOM team will conduct field interviews with voters, poll watchers, campaigners, local officials, civil society and people’s organizations, candidates, campaigners, government authorities, politicians, media, and churches.
• Delegates will document and triangulate data on HR and IHL violations, in coordination with local watchdogs like Kontra Daya and Vote Report PH.
• Remote observation teams will monitor Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV), digital disinformation, and voting irregularities abroad.

All findings will be:

• Validated and consolidated by a central research team
• Cross-referenced with media reports and independent sources

The research team is composed of volunteer researchers and Commissioners with long-standing records in monitoring elections, democratic governance, humanitarian work, and peace-building.

Final Report and Public Release

Preliminary findings will be released shortly after election day. A comprehensive final report, containing analysis and recommendations, will be released publicly and presented to:

• International human rights institutions
• Relevant United Nations bodies
• Foreign embassies and parliaments
• Civil society and media partners

Balikatan exercises escalate proxy war during midterm elections

Statement
April 28, 2025

While Filipinos prepare to head to the polls for the 2025 midterm elections, the Philippine government has allowed 16,000 US, Japanese, and Australian troops to hold the largest-ever Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) military exercises. The US-led exercises, in which armed forces from 19 countries are involved, are a blatant show of force by the United States in Philippine territory.

ICHRP is gravely concerned over the threat this year’s Balikatan exercises pose to the freedom and sovereignty of the 2025 elections. 

Yet the Marcos administration remains focused on China as the main threat to election interference. On April 25, 2025, the Marcos coalition, Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, accused China of meddling in the elections. Sen. Francis Tolentino presented a 930,000 php check allegedly linking the Chinese Embassy to a local marketing firm to operate “keyboard warriors.” 

In an interview with ANC, National Security Council Assistant Director General Malaya suggested that social media influencers and electoral candidates criticizing the Balikatan exercises are acting as local proxies of China. Malaya stated, “you will see narratives coming from Beijing that the Balikatan exercises are a threat to regional peace and stability, and you will also see that coming from local proxies.” 

While decrying supposed Chinese online influence, they turn a blind eye to thousands of heavily armed US troops on Philippine soil during election season. In fact, by fear-mongering and promoting a “national security emergency,” the Marcos administration seeks to stampede voters into supporting their chosen candidates who will further facilitate and justify the US pivot to Asia and military build up against China. This is political manipulation at gunpoint: democracy under siege.

Filipinos now face an election under the shadow of foreign soldiers, live-fire drills, and a full scale battle simulation as part of escalating US war preparations against China. The exercises heighten fear of external threats (China) to justify their presence and skew voters’ perception towards pro-US candidates like Marcos’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate.

Meanwhile, US anti-ship missiles (NMESIS) are deployed in Batanes, directly pointing toward Taiwan. Balikatan joint exercises involve island seizure operations, cyber warfare training, and maritime blockade rehearsals — not humanitarian defense, but full-spectrum war scenarios. In Quezon, US soldiers have even been seen in civilian communities conducting “civil-military operations,” blurring the line between military and civilian spaces.

While the Marcos administration is presenting Balikatan as “defensive” and “for Philippine security,” communities in Northern Luzon, Palawan, and Mindanao are impacted by further militarization as US EDCA military bases operate. Fisherfolk are banned from their own fishing grounds while US warships dominate the seas.

ICHRP Chairperson, Peter Murphy, stated, “The government and military have unleashed an aggressive, full-spectrum PR blitz to push anti-China narratives – saturating media, social media, and public discourse until these claims are treated as ‘facts’ beyond question. Through relentless repetition, they are manufacturing consent for heightened militarization and foreign intervention, drowning out any critical voices or calls for an independent, truly Filipino foreign policy. As an alternative, ICHRP calls for complete demilitarization of the South China Sea and diplomatic resolution of territorial claims.”

“Elections must be free from fear, free from foreign soldiers, and free from proxy war manipulations” continued Murphy. 

ICHRP demands an immediate halt to Balikatan and all foreign military exercises this election and beyond. We support the call of Filipinos for a truly independent Philippine foreign policy, not one dictated by Washington or any other foreign power.

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Statement from the organizers of Pagtatanim, an interfaith solidarity conference for the Filipino people’s struggle for peace

April 25, 2025

In the midst of the worsening situation of poverty, violence and oppression facing the people of the Philippines, the organizing committee of Pagtatanim pause in solidarity with the global Roman Catholic community, with people of all faiths, and with all who seek justice and peace, to mourn the passing—and to celebrate the life—of Pope Francis.

In the worsening situation of poverty, violence and oppression facing the Philippines, Pope Francis walked alongside the poor and the marginalized in the Philippines, as he inspired hope, sowed solidarity and motivated people of faith to act ecumenically and interreligious to organise for active solidarity to seek peace and address the root causes of poverty and suffering. He was not afraid to denounce authoritarianism and fascism; to name the evils of militarism, capitalism, imperialism and colonialism and name these as the roots of poverty and violence experienced by so many of the suffering poor and oppressed people.

In his visit to the Philippines in 2015 in the wake of the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, Pope Francis showed love and compassion as he engaged with children and the suffering poor. He further strongly insisted that all were called to structure changing solidarity in action—to organise and participate in people’s movements for peace. He reminded us that:

“Solidarity is more than a few sporadic acts of generosity. It is a call to act against the structural causes of poverty. Yes, there is an invisible thread joining every injustice – and we are all either complicit or courageous.”

Pope Francis also emphasized respect for farmers and the sustainable cultivation of land as key to eradicating poverty, hunger and ensuring human dignity for all. He also reminded us that:

“Humanity cannot exist without farmers” and to “rediscover the love of earth as ‘mother.’”

As we mourn his loss we are “en-couraged” by his vision which inspires us as people of faith to redouble our efforts to build a peoples’ lead movement for just and lasting peace, which addresses the root causes of poverty and oppression, and denounces authoritarian and fascist leadership in service to foreign interests so that the Filipino people may live unafraid and in peace with justice.

His lifelong witness serves as a guiding light for all people of faith, who seek to end  oppression, illegal detention, red tagging, military exercises, displacement, poverty, and all violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. His God rooted vision of justice, peace and inclusion urges us to rise up as a global interfaith community following his leadership as we too, hold accountable world leaders seeking to impose cruel and greed filled authoritarian control over an already troubled world order.

We are in mourning. Yet in this “year of hope” more than anything we feel lifted up full of hope as we move forward by the vision, compassion and prophetic love of Pope Francis that calls us as people of faith  to both mourn and organise for Peace and Justice for the people of the Philippines.

For those inspired by the life & message of Pope Francis, we invite you to join us at the Pagtatanim Conference in Rome, Italy, June 27-28. 

Pope Francis – Presente