2022 Philippine Elections

Comelec vows to strictly monitor social media campaigns in 2022

Dwight de Leon

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Comelec vows to strictly monitor social media campaigns in 2022

Janina Malinis/Rappler

Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez says the poll body will issue more guidelines for online campaigning before February 2022

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) guaranteed the social media campaigning expenditures of candidates seeking office in the 2022 elections will be “strictly monitored,” even as the nagging question is how.

In an online briefing, Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho Jr. acknowledged that social media will be a significant battleground for the 2022 polls, as the COVID-19 pandemic casts a long shadow on the conduct of campaigns.

“We will be strict on that matter, especially as we anticipate this coming election, social media presence will be a major thing for campaigns,” Kho said in the Kapihan online briefing on May 26.

“We cannot stop them from posting. That’s free expression. We will control [social media campaigning] in relation to spending limits,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.

Kho warned of consequences against candidates who will fail to report to Comelec the money they spent for election campaigning, but acknowledged the poll body can only go after them once the elections are over.

Under Republic Act No. 7166, all candidates, whether they win or lose, must file their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) WITH THE Comelec within 30 days after election day. No election winner can assume office until they have submitted their SOCE to the poll body.

“Every candidate and political party has to submit to the Comelec their SOCE,” he said. “Take note that we have disqualified several candidates because of that.”

For instance, in 2018, Comelec released a list of 105 candidates it “perpetually disqualified” from holding public office “due to repeated failure to file their SOCE” after past elections.

What’s the reality?

The Comelec only began monitoring social media campaign expenditures in the 2019 elections, when it released a resolution that classifies “social media posts” as “election propaganda.”

In an investigative report by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism in May, poll watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections said “monitoring was impossible in previous elections and candidates did not report it.”

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The same report noted how potential candidates for the 2022 election have started advertising on Facebook, months before the campaign period begins in the Philippines.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez has said the poll body would issue more guidelines for online campaigning before February 2022.

But that’s not the only challenge for Comelec, as it also remains to be seen how it can step up its game in fighting misinformation and disinformation online.

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Jimenez said in a Rappler Talk interview on May 10 that the poll body plans to work with tech professionals to address the issue. — Rappler.com

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Dwight de Leon

Dwight de Leon is a multimedia reporter who covers President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Malacañang, and the Commission on Elections for Rappler.