Comelec wants raps, DQ vs. poll bets for use of AI, deepfake

MANILA – Commission on Elections (Comelec) chief George Erwin Garcia on Monday said disqualification and election offense cases to be filed against candidates who would use artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfake technology in next year's midterm polls.

"I will propose to the Commission en banc that we make it as an election offense case as well as disqualification charges," Garcia said in an interview on Monday.

The poll body chief noted that allowing the new technology to promote one's candidacy would be dangerous.

"The entire country could face chaos if we allow the presence of AI and deepfake because it can make it appear that a person is bad, or very good, or good-looking when it is not true," he added.

Garcia, meanwhile, assured they were prepared to motu proprio file charges against these bets, noting that they "cannot just allow such activities without taking actions".

He, however, said it would also be better if the public would participate and initially file charges against these candidates.

"Let us get involved in this issue because this is a threat to our democracy," he added.

Garcia has earlier asked the Comelec en banc to bar the use of AI and deepfake technology during the campaign period for next year's polls.

The seven-member panel has yet to render a decision on Garcia's proposal.

Nearly 5M voters deactivated

The Comelec, meanwhile, said it has deactivated close to 5 million voters.

Based on its quarterly progress report, the poll body said a total of 4,903,415 registered voters have been deactivated.

Of the number, a total of 4,898,744 voters were deactivated due to failure to vote in two successive preceding regular elections.

A total of 3,663 voters that were deactivated due to exclusion per court orders while 1,003 voters failed to validate their registrations.

Three voters have been deactivated due to loss of Filipino citizenship, while one was deactivated due to being sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment for not less than one year, and another one was deactivated due to being sentenced by final judgment of having committed any crime involving disloyalty to the duly constituted government, or any crime against national security.

Calabarzon topped the list of deactivated voters with 733,903; followed by National Capital Region, 618,121; Central Luzon, 503,297; Western Visayas, 384,001; Central Visayas, 363,968; Bicol, 315,971; Davao Region, 280,084; Eastern Visayas, 255,252; Ilocos Region, 247,682; Soccsksargen, 210,701.

Meanwhile, the number of deactivated voters in Zamboanga Peninsula reached 185,064; Cagayan Valley, 181,856; Mimaropa 170,564; Northern Mindanao, 162,403; Caraga, 147,278; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 74,172 and Cordillera, 69,108.

Deactivated voters can apply for reactivation during voter registration activities which would run until Sept 30. (PNA)