As millions of Filipinos thronged polling stations to elect a new president, social media posts shared purported documents from the Philippine election agency alongside a claim that one senatorial candidate and five minor political parties were disqualified for alleged communist links. But the documents featured in the posts are fake, according to the election agency. There was no record of the purported disqualification notice on the election agency’s websites.
People wearing masks formed long queues before dawn on May 9 to cast their votes for president and national and local officials when polling stations opened across the archipelago, AFP reported.
Screenshots of purported disqualification notices from Philippine election agency Comelec were shared on Facebook here one day earlier.
One set of screenshots appears to show a resolution granting a disqualification petition filed by “Angela O. Aguilar” against senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares and five parties vying for seats in Congress.
The screenshots say Colmenares and five party-list groups — BAYAN MUNA, Anakpawis, Kabataan, ACT Teachers and Gabriela Women’s Party — were “involved in the funding” of a communist rebel group and were disqualified from running for office.
In the Philippines, the party-list system seeks to give citizens from marginalized groups representation in Congress.
Another screenshot purports to show a Comelec press release allegedly issued by spokesman John Rex Laudiangco.
Read the full story on AFP Fact Check.