Red-tagging, illegal campaign: Persistent pests in the 2025 elections

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ELECTION composite image from Inquirer files

MANILA, Philippines—As millions of Filipinos headed to the polls today, May 12, 2025, the final tally of campaign violations reported nationwide reveals the widespread issues of red-tagging and illegal campaigning that marked this year’s election season.

According to data from Vote Report PH, a total of 1,750 reports of campaign violations were filed nationwide as of May 10, 2025, the last official day of campaigning. The final report recorded significant numbers of red-tagging both online and on the ground, along with cases of illegal campaigning.

Red-tagging dominates reported online violations

Of the total violations, 1,348 were reported online—an overwhelming 77.03 percent of all reports. Nearly all of these online violations (99.63 percent) involved red-tagging, a practice that labels individuals or groups as communists or terrorists, often without basis, putting them at significant risk.

Other online violations were sparse, yet equally concerning, with black propaganda or disinformation (0.22 percent), copyright infringement (0.07 percent), and use of public resources (0.07 percent) making up the remainder.

Red-tagging and illegal campaigning most evident onground

The remaining 402 reports—accounting for 22.97 percent of the total—were on-ground violations.

Similar to online trends, red-tagging remained the most reported issue, comprising 47.26 percent of on-ground reports. This was followed by cases of illegal campaigning (24.88 percent) and black propaganda or disinformation (10.20 percent).

Other violations included election-related violence (9.70 percent), vote buying (2.74 percent), final testing and sealing (FTS) anomalies (2.74 percent), and illegal use of public resources (1.00 percent).

Reports of AFP/PNP partisan activities (0.75 percent), electioneering (0.50 percent), and removal of posters (0.25 percent) were also noted.

Calls for action and protection

Vote Report PH, alongside election watchdog Kontra Daya, raised concerns over the surge in online red-tagging, emphasizing its dangers to free speech and democratic discourse.

“We call on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to act swiftly against these cases. Red-tagging not only violates Comelec Resolution No. 11116 but also endangers the lives of the victims,” said Prof. Danilo Arao, convenor of Kontra Daya.

Comelec Resolution No. 11116 mandates the prohibition of any form of red-tagging, labeling, or public accusation that links individuals or organizations to communist groups without sufficient evidence. The resolution emphasizes that any act of red-tagging is considered a form of election offense, punishable under existing election laws.

The resolution also aims to protect candidates, political parties, and community leaders from baseless accusations that threaten their safety and electoral participation.

A call for vigilance on election day

As voters cast their ballots today, advocacy groups are calling for heightened vigilance against red-tagging and other election-related abuses. Vote Report PH urged citizens to remain watchful and report any irregularities.

“Mga kababayan, tapos na ang kampanya, pero hindi pa tapos ang laban. Labanan natin ang dayaan hanggang sa mismong halalan. I-VoteReport mo na ‘yan!”

With polling ongoing and millions of ballots being cast, citizen vigilance and real-time reporting will be crucial in upholding the integrity of the results. Whether Comelec responds decisively to the surge in red-tagging and illegal campaigning remains to be seen.

How to report election violations to Vote Report PH

Vote Report PH is encouraging the public to stay vigilant and report any election violations. Here are the ways you can report:

• SMS: Text “HELP” to register your number. Send reports using the format: REPORT Name/Location and Precinct ID/Your Report. Example: REPORT Andre/QC/Bumibili ng boto si pulitiko X. Send your message to 0948 146 8304.
• Email: List down the information like time, date, location, and details of the report. Send it to [email protected].
• Social media: Post your report with details like time, date, location, and description, and use the hashtags #VoteReportPH and #KontraDaya.
• Website: Fill out the form at votereportph.org/report.

Electoral violations that can be reported include Illegal Campaigning, ACM Errors, Vote Buying, Red Tagging, Black Propaganda, Disenfranchisement, BEI/EB Non-compliance with election procedures, Voter harassment, Election violence, Tampered ballots, and more.

Drastic increase

The surge in reports for the 2025 election season marks a significant increase compared to previous years. In the 2022 elections, Vote Report PH received a total of 224 verified reports of campaign violations.

Most of the complaints were related to vote buying (29 percent), red-tagging (24.1 percent), disinformation and fake news (17%), with the remaining 29 percent covering other forms of violations.

The 2025 data shows a drastic escalation, with 1,750 reports already verified, indicating a nearly eightfold increase in recorded violations. This surge not only underscores the growing challenges of election-related abuses but also highlights the heightened awareness and vigilance among voters in documenting these incidents./tsb

Graphics by Ed Lustan/Inquirer.net. Source: Vote Report PH