In preparation for the 13 May elections, the Philippines Commission on Elections has formed a team of 10 government workers to spot and report misleading posts from Facebook. Weeks before the election, the group has already identified hundreds of fake news posts -mostly those claiming that ballots have been tampered with, or that the election results are predetermined.

James Jimenez, spokesman for Commission on Election, said that 'What we're trying to do is to institutionalise this reporting process in a way that Facebook will not have any other recourse but to act on it'. He also said that fake news could affect how people see the credibility of elections and mandate of the winner.

Facebook itself removed 200 pages and accounts last month. It has also partnered with local media to debunk false information.