State-related violence remains widespread in the last month of 2025. Certain regions, such as Eastern Visayas and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, have become consistent hotspots of state-related violence.

Warring political factions will turn to more disinformation to get ahead of the competition in the run-up to the 2028 presidential elections.

In its penultimate month of monitoring for 2025, Sandatahang Dahas recorded an alarming increase of state agents exercising their means for brutality beyond what can be considered justifiable scenarios. This brings into question the principle of “maximum tolerance,” and whether state forces actually abide by this like they are instructed to do. As the year comes to a close, Sandatahang Dahas will continue monitoring incidents of state-related violence, especially as we have noted an increase in violence between state agents and anti-insurgency operations for November.

Celine Samson, head of VERA Files online verification, was at the JournalismAI Festival 2025 in  London last month where she shared insights about VERA Files’ use of artificial intelligence in combatting disinformation.