I.P.O. Information Service

VOTE WATCH PHILIPPINES 2004

Establishment of independent observer group

Manila/Vienna, 5 January 2004/P/RE/18475c-is

According to statement released today, the International Progress Organization will monitor the national elections to be held in the Philippines in May 2004.

The I.P.O. will co-operate with Vote Watch Philippines 2004, an independent NGO group, that was set up at the initiative of Dr. Remedios C. Balbin (Foundation for Social Justice), Prof. Ponciano Bennagen and Prof. Leonard Estacio, Jr. (University of the Philippines), and Atty. Antonio Paris (Philippine Peace and Solidarity Council). The field observation teams will relay their reports to the International Progress Organization that will in turn forward them to the concerned international organizations such as  the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (Commission on Human Rights).

Further announcements will be made in the course of the electoral process.

• News release of Vote Watch Philippines 2004

END/Vote Watch Philippines 2004/2004-01-05/P/RE/18475c-is