The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) denied circulating claims that the Bayan Muna Partylist was disqualified from participating in the May 12, 2025 national and local elections, labeling the false reports as "fake news."
In an official statement issued on Saturday, May 10, Comelec warned the public against a fabricated press release that falsely claimed the partylist had been barred from the elections for alleged links to terrorist organizations.
The fake document, which mimicked the official layout and format of legitimate Comelec press statements, purported to announce the disqualification of Bayan Muna Partylist following an En Banc resolution.
Comelec clarified that no such resolution has been issued and that Bayan Muna Partylist remains an official candidate and is still included in the certified list of party-list groups eligible for voting on May 12, 2025.
“Ang ganitong istilo at paggaya ng dokumento na animo’y galing sa isang ahensya ng gobyerno ay direkta at tahasang paglabas sa karapatan ng bawat Pilipino sa tama at wastong impormasyon lalo na ngayong panahon ng eleksyon,” Comelec emphasized.
The Commission reminded the public that spreading false or alarming information is an election offense under Section 261(z)(11) of the Omnibus Election Code.
In a video statement on May 10, Bayan Muna Party-list second nominee Atty. Kaloi Zarate strongly condemned what he described as a renewed attempt by anti-democratic forces and authoritarian elements in society to spread false information.
“Nangyari na naman ang nangyari noong nakaraan, kumikilos na naman ang mga anti demokratikong pwersa, ang mga pasista sa ating lipunan,” he recalled, noting that similar disqualification claims had previously emerged.
Zarate further clarified that these claims were untrue, emphasizing that Bayan Muna had not been disqualified and that there was no basis for such disqualification.
COMELEC also urged voters to rely only on verified information released through its official channels and to be cautious of misleading materials designed to manipulate public perception ahead of election day.
