Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday denied that the May 12 midterm elections have been moved to May 10, as claimed by an infographic circulating on social media.
According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia addressed the misinformation in an interview, stating, “Fake news again, saying the election is being postponed from May 12 [and] will be held on May 10 because of the extreme heat.” The infographic falsely cited a “Comelec official,” claiming the date change was due to intense heat predicted by Pag-asa for May 12.
Garcia emphasized that “nothing can stop the holding of the May 12 elections,” assuring that the election will proceed as scheduled across all precincts in the Philippines. He explained that the disinformation campaign aims to “disturb [and] confuse our countrymen and to reduce the number of voters who [will vote] on election day.”
He further noted that the spread of false information seeks to undermine the credibility of the Comelec and the electoral process. In response to these challenges, the Comelec has requested President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to declare May 12 a holiday to provide voters ample opportunity to participate in the elections.
