Complaint Filed Over Disinformation Targeting Bayan Muna
Bayan Muna recently filed a complaint before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) regarding disinformation aimed at the party-list group just days ahead of Eleksyon 2025. The party raised concerns about a wave of fake news circulating on at least 12 social media platforms, accusing Bayan Muna of being disqualified from the upcoming polls.
On Sunday, Bayan Muna national chairperson Neri Colmenares personally went to the Comelec office in Intramuros, Manila, to submit the complaint. The group pointed out an alleged Comelec resolution that supposedly disqualified them, which turned out to be false and part of a coordinated red-tagging campaign.
Comelec Denounces Fake News on Disqualification
The Comelec swiftly condemned the misinformation, labeling it as “fake news.” It clarified that no resolution disqualifying Bayan Muna was ever released by the Commission en banc. In fact, Bayan Muna remains an official party-list group eligible to be voted for in the Eleksyon 2025.
“Walang nilabas na resolution ang Commission en bank na nagdidiskwalipilka sa Bayan Muna party-list ngayong halalan at sila ay opisyal pa rin na kabilang sa listahan ng mga partylist groups na maaaring iboto sa Lunes,” the poll body emphasized.
The Comelec also stressed that forging government documents to mislead voters is a clear violation of the public’s right to accurate information, especially during elections. “Ang ganitong istilo at paggaya ng dokumento na animo’y galing sa isang ahensya ng gobyerno ay direkta at tahasang paglabag sa karapatan ng bawat Pilipino sa tama at wastaong impormasyon lalo na ngayong panahon ng eleksyon,” they said.
Bayan Muna Demands Accountability and Action
In their complaint, Bayan Muna urged the Comelec to issue a firm statement rejecting the false claims and to affirm that the party-list is still qualified and legitimate. Colmenares called the spread of fake news not just misinformation but outright election sabotage.
“This is not just fake news; this is election sabotage. The deliberate fabrication of COMELEC documents and press releases to mislead voters is a criminal offense that strikes at the very heart of our democratic process,” he said.
He added that they are filing the complaint to hold those responsible for deceiving and intimidating voters accountable. The party-list also called on the Comelec to investigate these disinformation incidents and to condemn fake news strongly.
“Kung hindi ito gagawin ng COMELEC, ito ay magiging precedent na sa bawat eleksyon ay maaaring gamitin ang ganitong uri ng panlilinlang,” Colmenares warned.
Furthermore, he recalled how fake news about candidate disqualifications spread widely during the 2022 presidential elections. He stressed the need to stop this harmful practice before it resurfaces in the 2028 elections.
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