Bayan Muna Files Complaint Over Campaign Poster Discrimination

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By Juliane Judilla

Bayan Muna Partylist-Panay has filed a formal complaint with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) over a series of red-tagging and discriminatory campaign posters found in various locations across Iloilo City.

The posters, allegedly targeting party-list groups under the Makabayan Coalition, were spotted in Jaro, La Paz, and Molo plazas, as well as near Gaisano Mall, the Jamerlan Building along Iznart Street, and outside Bankers Village in Jaro.

Bayan Muna Partylist-Panay Coordinator Irma Espinosa condemned the posters, calling them an orchestrated attack on their legitimacy.

“This orchestrated attack is clearly designed to mislead the public and sabotage the legitimate advocacy of the Makabayan Bloc and progressive organizations that have long championed the people’s politics of change,” Espinosa said in a statement.

According to Bayan Muna, the posters are deceptive and aimed at undermining the party list’s reputation.

The group emphasized that the materials violate COMELEC Resolutions No. 11086 (2025 NLBPE IRR of the Fair Election Act or RA 9006) and No. 11116 (Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines for the 2025 NLBPE), both of which prohibit misleading election materials and unauthorized postings in public spaces.

“More than just a legal violation, this act is part of a wider black propaganda campaign and disinformation drive aimed at tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of Bayan Muna and its allies, who have consistently fought for the people’s welfare and genuine social change in Congress for over two decades,” the group stated.

Bayan Muna also accused the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) of orchestrating the smear campaign.

“This is not an isolated incident. It is part of a systematic, nationwide campaign of red-tagging, electoral sabotage, and misinformation meant to silence progressive voices. The masterminds behind this cowardly act are none other than those who have long vilified and spread lies about Bayan Muna—chief among them, the NTF-ELCAC. Instead of engaging in substantive discourse on pressing national issues, they resort to desperate, cheap tricks that insult the intelligence of the Filipino people,” the group added.

Bayan Muna urged COMELEC to investigate and remove the fraudulent materials and hold accountable those responsible for election sabotage.

The group also called on the public to remain vigilant against dirty campaign tactics.

COMELEC’s Response and Operation Baklas

In a related development, several “Bayad Muna” posters were removed during the recent Operation Baklas led by Iloilo City’s COMELEC on Feb. 26.

Atty. Pinkie Tentativa, Election Officer IV, said the posters were misleading and violated the latest COMELEC resolutions on anti-discrimination and fair campaigning.

“Actually, we received a complaint from the Makabayan Bloc, addressed to Director [Dennis] Ausan, regarding the confusing campaign materials,” Tentativa said in an interview with RMN Iloilo.

“This is illegal and discriminatory; however, since we have not yet identified who put up these materials, we will collect those that were removed,” she added.