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Manila: Twenty-two foreign poll observers arrived in Manila on Friday , 10 days ahead of the local elections in the autonomous region for Filipino-Muslims in the southern Philippines, a senior official said.
The observers came from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
They will be allowed to observe the election process in all districts in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said Jose Melo, the chairman of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
They are allowed to interview voters, political leaders and other individuals outside the polling places.
The observers are also allowed to monitor the counting and canvassing of votes after the elections, said Melo, adding the observers were given liberty to use visual or audio-visual recordings to document the electoral process.
"International observers have objective and critical eyes. They can help Comelec ensure clean and honest elections. They can serve as a driving force for improvement," said Melo, adding, "we need them during the ARMM elections."
The ARMM elections will be partially automated, with the results expected about 36 hours after the polling concludes, Melo said.
Comelec has spent some 700 million pesos (Dh6.36 million) for an automated electoral system in ARMM.
The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL), in collaboration with the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, 16 partner Muslim civil society organisations, and the Assembly of the Darul Ifta of the Philippines coordinated the entry of the international foreign observers ahead of the ARMM polls.
- With inputs from Ed General, Correspondent
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