Manila: The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) announced on Monday that the 2025 midterm elections were perceived as ‘a little more peaceful’ compared to previous elections, despite incidents of violence and fatalities reported in Mindanao.

According to Philippines News Agency, during a press briefing at the PPCRV Command Center, spokesperson Ana Singson remarked that while certain incidents remain concerning, initial observations indicate fewer violent disruptions than those recorded in the 2022 and 2019 elections.

“If we compare it to 2022 and 2019-just qualitative, until we get the final reports-it seems that the conduct of the election was a little more peaceful,” Singson stated. She mentioned that the assessment was based on incidents in Mindanao, an area of particular concern. Although violence persisted, the number of incidents and fatalities appeared to be fewer.

Singson reported that four individuals were killed in Sinsuat, Basilan, with an undisclosed number of others injured. The tension escalated to such a degree that PPCRV felt compelled to withdraw its volunteers from the area, marking only the second occurrence in its history that such a measure was taken for safety reasons. “Even our volunteers were too afraid to stay,” she explained. “We had to tell them to leave so they would be safe.”

In Cotabato, members of the electoral board resigned due to safety concerns, leading to armed military personnel assuming their responsibilities. Singson expressed regret over the ongoing violence, stating, “It’s very sad that we still have to report deaths during elections. We’re hoping that one day, we can truly say we had a peaceful election.”