Comelec to issue guidelines vs. red-tagging, gender-based sexual harassment for Eleksyon 2025

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday said it will issue guidelines to combat red-tagging and gender-based sexual harassment during the campaign period for the 2025 May elections.

“Ang Comelec ang nag-propose na we’ll be coming out with the anti-red tagging guidelines during the campaign period…We are now drafting the guidelines. Hopefully by next week matapos namin,” Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia told reporters.

(The Comelec is proposing that we'll be coming out with the anti-red tagging guidelines during the campaign period...We are now drafting the guidelines. Hopefully, we'll finish them by next week.)

“‘Yun namang guidelines for Safe Space [Act], batas ‘yun pero dapat during the campaign masidhi nating maipatupad para walang cat calling, walang pambabastos,” Garcia said.

(The Safe Space [Act] is a law, but we will issue guidelines because we need to strictly enforce it during the campaign to prevent catcalling and insults.)

The Makabayan bloc previously sent a letter to Garcia expressing concern on some of the provisions of Comelec Resolution 11064 including the mandatory registration of social media accounts, websites, digital and Internet-based campaign platforms of candidates, parties, and their supporters, saying it "might affect freedom of expression."

“Ang inyong lingkod ay nag-sponsor ng amendment to the guidelines of social media, deepfakes and such other platforms. Sinabi natin na hindi na isasama ang private individuals,” said Garcia.

(We sponsored amendments to the guidelines because we might violate the freedom of expression and speech if we will include private individuals in the mandatory registraiton.)

“Pag sinama ang private individuals, it might be a constitutional issue. Baka ma-violate ang freedom of expression and speech,” he added.

On Tuesday, the House lawmakers welcomed Comelec’s commitment to issue anti-red tagging guidelines, describing it as a “significant victory for democratic rights and electoral reform.”

"Malaking tagumpay ito para sa mga progresibong partido at kandidato na matagal nang biktima ng red-tagging. Ang paglabas ng mga guidelines na ito ay magsisilbing proteksyon sa karapatan ng mga kandidato at partido na makipaglaban nang patas sa halalan," Makabayan spokesperson Reyna Valmores Salinas said in a press statement.

(This is a major victory for progressive parties and candidates who have long been victims of red-tagging. The release of these guidelines will serve as a safeguard to protect the rights of candidates and parties to compete fairly in the elections.)

Salinas also lauded the amendment of the resolution.

“Mahalaga na nalinaw na hindi sapilitan ang registration ng mga individual supporters at hindi ito makakaapekto sa karapatan ng mamamayan na magpahayag ng kanilang political views sa social media," said Salinas.

(It's crucial to clarify that the registration of individual supporters is voluntary and won't infringe on the public's right to express their political views on social media.)

"We look forward to reviewing the specific anti-red-tagging guidelines once issued. This development strengthens our democracy and helps ensure a more level playing field in the 2025 elections," she added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News