Watchdog flags 94 campaign violations before Eleksyon 2025

An election watchdog has reported nearly 100 campaign violations a month into the campaign period for senatorial and party-list candidates in Eleksyon 2025.

According to its initial report, Kontra Daya recorded 94 campaign violations as of March 14, 2025.

Of these cases, 63.8% involved red-tagging, which violates Comelec Resolution No. 1116, the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines.

Several cases included the use of artificial intelligence and “deepfakes,” with progressive candidates and party-list groups being the usual targets.

Meanwhile, 24.5% of the violations involved illegal campaigning, 4.3% were related to vote-buying, and 3.2% concerned the illegal use of public resources.

“As early as now, the Comelec should take these violations seriously and penalize the violators,” said Kontra Daya Convenor Danilo Arao.

“Otherwise, the violations will just pile up and get worse,” he added.

Comelec Resolution No. 1116 penalizes labeling individuals and groups as terrorists, dissenters, or criminals without evidence as an election offense in the 2025 national and local elections. The resolution also prohibits acts of bullying and discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, age, religion, and disabilities, among others.

Last week, the Bayan Muna party-list urged the poll body to investigate alleged “massive and widespread black propaganda” targeting their organization ahead of the May elections.

The Comelec said it would review the reported violations.

“We will look into this report and compare the alleged findings with our records. We are one with them in the fight against discriminatory acts and utterances during the election period and will hold violators accountable,” said Comelec chairperson George Garcia. — DVM, GMA Integrated News

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