Comelec to file cases vs 5 alleged peddlers of ‘disinformation’

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will file cases against five individuals who peddled false information, Commissioner George Garcia said Wednesday.

Garcia said that he earlier referred the five disinformation incidents to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“Last week po nag-refer na ‘ko sa NBI ng limang instances sa social media na talaga namang ina-undermine ang credibility, integrity ng ating electoral process system,” he shared during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

(Last week, I referred to the NBI five instances in social media which really undermines the credibility, integrity of our electoral process system.)

“Asahan niyo po (Expect that) in the next succeeding days, we will be filing cases against these individuals simply because mali po ‘yung ginagawa nila (what they did was wrong),” he said.

Garcia said that the five cases involved five individuals.

“Individuals po ‘yun pong mga nakita natin lalo na po ‘yung mga nakaraang linggo na may mga lumabas na may nagsasabi nagsha-shade daw siya ng original na balota, nakakuha sila ng original na balota,” he replied when asked if the cases involve specific individuals or organizations.

(Those are individuals, especially last week, there were people who said that they shaded an original ballot, they got an original ballot.)

Garcia pointed out that among the disinformation circulating are about pre-shaded ballots and release of false poll results.

Among the cases that Garcia referred to the NBI is the alleged exclusion of Vice President Leni Robredo’s name in a ballot in New Zealand.

The Comelec established a task force against fake news to go after false information that aims to undermine the electoral process.

EDV