FOR the first time in the country’s history, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday disqualified a candidate in the May 12 midterm polls for making discriminatory remarks during the campaign period.
This after the Comelec Second Division barred Christian Sia from pursuing his bid to represent Pasig City at the House of Representatives as it granted the
petition of the poll body’s Task Force SAFE for committing discriminatory acts against women and gender-based harassment.
Sia was taken to task over his single mom joke and for body shaming his own staff member.
In its 10-page resolution, the Comelec Second Division said: “Wherefore, premises considered, the Commission resolves to grant the petition… Accordingly, respondent is hereby disqualified from continuing as a candidate for member, House of Representatives, lone legislative district of Pasig City, in relation to the 2025 National and Local Elections.”
Sia can appeal the decision before the Comelec en banc.
Aside from disqualifying Sia, the division likewise ordered the suspension of his proclamation in case he wins the congressional race.
“In the event that the respondent obtains the highest number of votes, his proclamation shall be suspended until the final resolution of this case,” it said.
In a media forum in Manila, Comelec chairman George Garcia underscored the historical significance of Sia’s disqualification, saying this is the first time that the poll body has disqualified a candidate over discriminatory statements.
“This is the first time that we applied our Comelec resolution on anti-discrimination. This is because we wanted to show how serious the Comelec is in this campaign,” Garcia said.
The Comelec Second Division found Sia guilty of violating the poll body’s Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines.
“Respondent’s remarks, committed during campaign activities, were not only inappropriate, but unlawful and offensive to the principles that guide fair and respectful elections,” it said, adding that “his statements fall far below the standards required of those who wish to serve the people. Public office demands better and the people deserve no less.”
Sia came under fire due to a viral video where he was seen and heard giving a public statement saying single mothers can have sex with him once a year when they feel lonely as long as they are still menstruating.
He was likewise taken to task over an incident in another campaign sortie where he pinpointed at his assistant’s physical appearance and body weight.
CLEARED
Also yesterday, the Comelec cleared senatorial candidate and Las Piñas City Rep. Camille Villar from alleged vote buying activities.
The Comelec – Committee on Kontra Bigay (CKB) said Villar was able to satisfactorily explain her presence in an event where cash prizes were handed and raffles were conducted.
“The Committee on Kontra Bigay takes cognizance of your Answer and considers it to have satisfactorily explained the circumstances surrounding the reported act of alleged vote-buying,” CKB vice chairman Teopisto Elnas told Villar in a letter.
“Upon evaluation of the evidence gathered, the undersigned deems the same insufficient to proceed to the filing of a complaint for election offense and/or a petition for disqualification,” Elnas also said.
Last month, the Comelec – CKB issued a show cause order to Villar after she was caught on video present at an event held in Imus, Cavite, where Villar was seen giving away money to the audience.
In her answer to the SCO, Villar denied that she violated the Omnibus Election Code since the event in the concerned video happened on February 9, 2025, which was prior to the start of the campaign period for senatorial candidates, which started on February 11.
Villar also said that the said event was a promotional event of ALLTV2 Network, which invited her as guest.
The Comelec noted that several affidavits were submitted by Villar attesting that the event indeed occurred on February 9, 2025 and was belatedly posted on social media on February 16.
PBBM PARTY-LIST
In another development, the Comelec en banc yesterday affirmed the cancellation of the party-list registration of the Pilipinas Babangon Muli (PBBM) just days before the May 12 midterm polls.
In its 10-page resolution, the en banc said it found “no cogent reason” to reverse the ruling of the Comelec Second Division and grant the Motion for Reconsideration filed by PBBM last April 28.
The Comelec Second Division cancelled PBBM’s registration on April 23 after it determined that none of its 10 nominees came from the Calabarzon.
It noted that eight of the nominees are residents of Abra province, one from Cagayan province, and one from Quezon City.
It also said PBBM made “untruthful statements” about having a constituency in the Calabarzon and then later on admitting that it never imposed residency as a condition for membership in the group.
The Comelec en banc agreed with the division’s decision that it was erroneous for PBBM to argue that a resident or voter outside of the Calabarzon can be its nominee or member and represent the interest of the region and its core values, programs, and policies.
“Such imprimatur applies only to sectoral parties. In contrast, the constituency of the regional sector must come exclusively from the region it seeks to represent,” the Comelec en banc ruled.
VOTE BUYING, ASR
Meanwhile, just days before the midterm polls, the Comelec disclosed that almost 450 complaints of vote buying and abuse of state resources (ASR) have been reported to its Committee on Kontra Bigay (CKB).
Data provided by the Comelec – CKB showed that there are 439 reports of vote buying and ASRs, as of May 8.
Vote buying reports number to 268, while ASR acts number to 130. Reports of both vote buying and ASR stand at 41.
According to Comelec – CKB chairman Commissioner Ernesto Maceda, the most common types of vote buying are money distribution, cash assistance, and giving anything of value.
Top ASR acts, meanwhile, are in the form of social welfare assistance.
“We are already approaching 450 total reports on vote buying and ASR,” said Maceda in a media forum in Manila yesterday.
“We will be evaluating and see if it merits the filing of an election offense and petition for disqualification,” he added.
In a related development, Tuguegarao City Mayor Maila Ting-Que is facing a petition for disqualification for allegedly committing ASR.
In a 21-page petition, lawyer Ronald Brillantes accused Ting-Que, who is seeking reelection, of abusing her post to advance her candidacy “by utilizing government-owned properties and abusing her authority.”
“As the local chief executive, respondent is guilty of violating pertinent laws, rules, and regulations… Wherefore, premises considered, it is most respectfully prayed for unto this Honorable Commission to disqualify Respondent Maila Rosario S. Ting-Que as candidate for the position of City Mayor of Tuguegarao,” Brillantes’ petition read.
According to the petition, several vehicles owned by the city government were repeatedly used during the campaign activities of Ting-Que.
In addition, it noted how the portable stage and monobloc chairs of the city government were being used in Ting-Que’s campaign sorties.
“As incumbent city mayor and local chief executive, Respondent has absolute control over properties and assets of the city government of Tuguegarao, particularly its movable properties,” it noted.
“Undisputedly, Respondent has been abusing her power as the incumbent city mayor in utilizing the city government’s resources in advancing her bid for reelection,” it added.
