Makabayan urges Comelec to act on black propaganda vs bloc

The Makabayan coalition urged the Commission on Elections on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, to act on posters containing black propaganda against its party-list groups. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – The Makabayan coalition urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec)on Tuesday to act on posters containing black propaganda against its party-list groups.

In a letter to Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia, Makabayan provincial coordinator Marcus Confesor reported several campaign posters from a certain “Makabayan Pilipino” spotted in Cavite province since January 29.

A poster in Silang town spotted on Jan. 29 accused ACT party-list Rep. France Castro of kidnapping indigenous peoples.

Another poster in the Dasmariñas and General Trias boundary last Feb 21 tagged Gabriela Women’s Party as “anay” (termites).

This was in addition to similar posters reported by Makabayan coalition member “Bayan Muna” last March 10 to the poll body.

READ: Bayan Muna urges Comelec to act on black propaganda vs group

Confesor urged Comelec to make a “concerted effort to pin down perpetrators” of such posters.

“Red tagging… has no place in free, honest and fair elections and hence should be seriously stopped,” Confesor said in his letter, while also urging Comelec to implement its resolution against such acts.

Comelec Resolution No. 11116, promulgated last February 19 states that no discrimination shall be acted against cause-oriented groups and organizations, such as people that are part of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual) community, Indigenous Peoples, persons living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), persons with disability, and women.

Under the same guidelines, Comelec also prohibits labeling candidates as members of criminal or terrorist groups like the NPA without established evidence.