Results Pending in Manual Recount of 2025 Election Votes

Philippine Elections Manual Recount Claims Debunked, Legal Petition Still Pending

Recent social media posts claiming that a manual recount of the 2022 Philippine senatorial elections has overturned official results are demonstrably false, according to election officials and court records.

The false narrative began circulating when former broadcaster Jay Sonza, who has previously been identified as a purveyor of misinformation, shared a post on Facebook alleging that incumbent senators Ping Lacson, Tito Sotto, Lito Lapid, Bam Aquino, and Kiko Pangilinan should be replaced by a different set of candidates. Sonza’s post, which garnered over 2,300 shares, claimed that Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban) bets and independent candidates were the rightful winners following a supposed manual recount.

The post included an image of a legitimate Supreme Court (SC) notice granting the Solicitor General an extension to file comments on a supplemental petition filed by PDP Laban against the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of Foreign Affairs. While this document is authentic, it contains no information about recount results or changes to election outcomes.

In fact, the petition for a manual recount remains pending before the Supreme Court, with no decision yet rendered. The Comelec has neither conducted a manual recount nor released any alternative election results, contradicting the central claim in Sonza’s post.

The viral misinformation has since spread across social media platforms, with some videos narrating the alleged recount results receiving even greater engagement than the original post. One such video garnered 337,000 views and nearly 6,000 shares, demonstrating how quickly election misinformation can proliferate.

“This claim represents a dangerous form of election misinformation that undermines public trust in democratic processes,” said a political analyst who requested anonymity. “The timing is particularly concerning as it comes during a period of heightened political tension.”

The legal petition referenced in these false claims was filed on April 3 by various PDP Laban officers, candidates, and some overseas voters. Their filing challenges the automated election system’s verification measures and the use of remote internet voting. The petitioners allege indicators of manipulation in the senatorial race results, claiming “massive electoral fraud.”

Comelec Chair George Garcia previously told media that the commission welcomes the petition and awaits the Supreme Court’s decision. However, he noted an important jurisdictional issue: the Comelec lost authority over electoral contests involving senators once they assumed office. After June 30, 2022, such disputes fall under the jurisdiction of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, which becomes “the sole judge of all elections, returns, qualifications of the members of the Senate.”

The Solicitor General, representing Comelec, has not yet filed a comment on the case with the Supreme Court, further confirming that no recount has been ordered or conducted.

This incident marks the latest in a series of false claims about Philippine elections that have been debunked by fact-checkers. Election integrity experts warn that such misinformation can erode public confidence in democratic institutions and processes if left unchallenged.

Citizens are encouraged to verify election-related claims through official channels like the Supreme Court and Comelec websites before sharing potentially misleading information on social media platforms.