Misinformation, disinformation can make or break 2025 polls – Comelec

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia leads the signing of pledge of support of Task Force KKK and its partners to ensure integrity of the election against misinformation and disinformation. (Photo by Office of the Chairman/Comelec)

MANILA, Philippines — Misinformation and disinformation can “make or break” the 2025 midterm elections, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Friday. 

Garcia made the statement on the sidelines of the signing of pledge of commitment of Task Force KKK (Katotohanan, Katapatan, at Katarungan) and its partners to ensure integrity of the 2025 elections against election-related misinformation and disinformation.

“Pwedeng magbreak or make ang isang kandidato, ang atin pong integridad ng eleksyon, ang mismong komisyon, at mga tauhan at mamahala kasama na ang mga electoral board members dahil lang sa misinformation, disinformation at fake news,” Garcia said in an ambush interview. 

(Misinformation, disinformation, and fake news can make or break a candidate, the integrity of elections, the commission itself and its officials and members, along with the electoral board members.)

The task force, formed in July 2024, is tasked to monitor contents posted in the television, radio, print, and online and debunk and combat false information against the poll body, its officials, and the electoral process.

“Nagrereact kami dahil ito po ay karapatan at kapangyarihan ng Comelec to protect the integrity of the elections. Hindi ito pagiging onion-skinned, ito po ay nararapat lamang dahil sa aming palagay, may paglabag sa atin pong mga batas,” Garcia added.

(We are reacting because it is our right and it is the Comelec’s power to protect the integrity of the elections. This is not being onion-skinned, but this is the right thing to do because we believe that there is a violation of the law.)

 This came after the task force, for the first time, lodged a case against a vice mayoral aspirant in Isabela over alleged violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

The respondent posted Facebook videos demonstrating how to manipulate the 2025 elections through hacking the automated counting machines and local source code review.

The Comelec also mandated candidates and party-list groups to register their social media accounts to the poll body as part of its regulation of digital election campaigning.

It is aimed at regulating the use of artificial intelligence and prohibit the proliferation of disinformation and misinformation.