PNP validates 100 election incidents, vote-buying cases rise

As of May 20, 2025, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has validated 100 election-related incidents (ERIs) for the midterm elections, with 16 additional cases pending verification.

This number of ERIs is comparable to the 105 incidents recorded during the 2023 Barangay and SK elections and more than triple the 27 incidents from the 2022 national and local elections.

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil has directed personnel to expedite investigations into validated ERIs nationwide, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to prevent violence and intimidation.

The PNP previously reported 20 validated election-related killings as of May 15, 2025.

The PNP documented 38 vote-buying incidents during the recent midterm elections, an increase from 24 incidents in the October 2023 elections.

Gen. Marbil attributed the rise in reported vote-buying cases to enhanced police presence, intelligence gathering, and responsiveness, rather than an increase in electoral fraud.