Because the Philippines equipped for nationwide elections in Might, an image of a pattern poll labelled “Beijing PE, China” repeatedly surfaced in posts that falsely claimed it was proof China was interfering with the vote. Manila and Beijing are locked in a festering territorial dispute over the South China Sea however the image exhibits an official poll template for abroad Filipinos voting within the Philippine Embassy in Beijing.
“Possibly you did not discover however COMELEC ballots have ‘Beijing, China’ printed on it,” learn a Tagalog-language Facebook post on January 7, 2025 utilizing the favored abbreviation for the Philippine Fee on Elections.
“Did China print out these ballots and can they commit fraud within the Might elections?!” the put up added. It included a picture of a poll template with a highlighted header textual content that mentioned, “Beijing PE, China, Asia Pacific”.
“Why does it say BEIJING PE, CHINA? Are they concerned right here? Suspicious!” textual content overlaid to the picture additional learn.
Screenshot of false put up taken on January 31, 2025
Related posts have been additionally shared elsewhere on Facebook after Comelec unveiled ballot templates for the Southeast Asian archipelago’s Might 12 senatorial and native vote (archived link).
The posts drew feedback that additional alleged the “Beijing PE, China” label was proof China was interfering within the elections.
“Did China print these ballots and can they assist with dishonest within the elections?” one wrote.
“Meaning we’re now not Republic of the Philippines however already Beijing China,” one other mentioned.
Confrontations between the 2 Asian neighbours over contested reefs and waters within the strategic South China Sea have escalated in latest months.
Abroad polling station
However John Rex Laudiangco, a spokesman for Comelec, instructed AFP on January 21 that “Beijing PE” refers back to the polling station for abroad Filipino voters that shall be arrange on the Philippine embassy within the Chinese language capital.
He mentioned China is without doubt one of the international locations which didn’t grant on-line voting for the Philippine elections of their jurisdiction.
“That is why we are going to print 10,599 ballots for automated vote counting machines for use by Filipinos there and in different international locations which didn’t give their permission,” he mentioned. “The remainder of the abroad voters will use digital ballots via the web voting and counting system.”
Comelec published a checklist on August 23, 2024 displaying polling stations in mainland China require abroad Filipino voters to forged their ballots in individual or by put up (archived link).
The identical house in different sample ballots printed by Comelec — together with in earlier elections — present the identify of the respective polling precinct (archived link).
Screenshots of pattern ballots for elections in 2022 (left) and 2019 printed on Comelec’s web site present the names of the abroad voting station
