Bayan Muna party-list not disqualified from May 12 polls – Comelec

The Commission on Elections refutes a disqualification claim against Bayan Muna Party-list from the May 2025 elections. —Photo from Comelec/Facebook

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday refuted a circulating claim that the Bayan Muna Party-list is disqualified from the May 2025 elections.

This came after a supposed press statement from the Office of the Comelec spokesperson announced the disqualification of the party-list. The Comelec pointed out that the layout and format of the statement is similar to the legitimate releases of the poll body.

“Walang nilabas na Resolution ang Commission En Banc na nagdidiskwalipika sa Bayan Muna Party-List ngayong halalan at sila ay OPISYAL PA RIN NA KABILANG SA LISTAHAN NG MGA PARTY-LIST GROUPS NA MAAARING IBOTO SA LUNES (MAY 12, 2025),” Comelec said in a statement.

(The Commission En Banc did not release a resolution disqualifying Bayan Muna Party-list in the upcoming elections and they are still officially included in the list of party-list groups the voters can choose from on Monday (May 12, 2025).)

Copy of the fake press statement. Photo shared by Comelec to the media.

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

“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 wastong impormasyon lalo na ngayong panahon ng eleksyon,” the Comelec added.

(This style of imitating a document posing to come from a government agency is a direct and blatant violation of the rights of every Filipino in accurate and trusted information, especially during election season.)

The poll body warned that spreading false information on the elections is considered an election offense under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.

The fake press statement said that the Comelec decided to disqualify the partylist for its ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front.

Meanwhile, some online pages posed as INQUIRER.net in spreading the same false disqualification claim.

Photo from INQUIRER.net

In a statement on Saturday, Bayan Muna Executive Vice President Carlos Zarate denounced “the alarming and intensified campaign of red-tagging and black propaganda” against the party-list and other parties and candidates.”

READ: Makabayan files red-tagging complaint vs NTF-Elcac executive director

Zarate also pointed out the “inaction” of the poll body to resolve complaints filed by the party-list and other progressive groups against red-tagging.

“The COMELEC must strongly denounce these actions and immediately assure the voters that Bayan Muna is a democratic and legitimate partylist, and that these attacks are unacceptable,” Zarate said in a statement.