Comelec allows EU poll observers in precincts after voting

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reversed its earlier decision and will now allow members of the European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission to enter polling places after voting has concluded.

Initially, Comelec cited Philippine election laws which prohibited observers inside precincts during voting hours.

Poll chief George Erwin Garcia stated that the EU observers can be present during the printing and posting of election returns and enter canvassing areas without restrictions.

However, the EU Election Observers Mission stated that they could not meaningfully observe the voting process due to the denial of their request to enter polling precincts during voting hours.

The EU mission cited a mutual commitment signed in March that granted them freedom of access to all polling precincts at any time.

As a result, the EU EOM did not deploy its whole team of observers as originally planned, though all were deployed to the counting process after polls closed.