Bayan warns of 'disinformation overdrive' as Election Day nears

Progressive Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on Saturday warned the public to be vigilant against an influx of disinformation towards the May 9 polls.

“As we near election day, makakakita tayo ng (we will be seeing) disinformation overdrive,” Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said during a media forum organized by InfraWatch PH.

Reyes said disinformation will be used to “influence the perception and voting behavior of the electorate.”

“Towards the homestretch, bubuhos talaga ang lahat ng klase ng disinformation (all kinds of disinformation will come in) to sway the voters, influence the voters one way or another,” he said.

The progressive group leader said the public should be watchful of all forms of disinformation since the burden of fact-checking is in their hands.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier said it will seek help from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to go after perpetrators behind fake news about the electoral process and the poll body, its official said Monday. —KG, GMA News