WOMEN’s group Gabriela yesterday urged the Supreme Court (SC) to impose sanctions against lawyer Christian “Ian” Sia who is running for the lone congressional seat in Pasig City over his lewd remarks about solo mothers during a recent campaign event.
In a 3-page letter to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and the rest of the magistrates, the group pointed out that Sia’s conduct violates multiple provisions of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), particularly those prohibiting gender-based harassment and requiring lawyers to maintain dignified conduct.
“We find Atty. Sia’s action appalling and reprehensible. It reeks of misogyny and sexism. It is an attack against the dignity of every woman and a clear disrespect for the pain and struggle every solo woman parent endure day to day,” the letter signed by Gabriela Secretary General Clarice Palce said.
“With Atty. Sia, there is no safe space for women – whether in or outside the courtroom,” it added.
The group said that as a member of the legal profession, Sia is expected to exercise ethical conduct required of him under the CPRA.
“More importantly, as an officer of the court who has a critical role in the administration of justice, he is duty-bound to abide by the laws, including the Constitution,” it said.
Canon II of the CPRA mandates that lawyers must at all times act with propriety.
It likewise prohibits lawyers from engaging in conducts that adversely reflects on one’s fitness to practice law, or behave in scandalous manner, whether in public or private life, to the discredit of the legal profession.
It also bans lawyers from engaging in any gender-based harassment or discrimination and from using language which are abusive, intemperate, offensive, or otherwise, improper, oral or written, and whether made through traditional or electronic means, including all forms or types or mass or social media.
All these, Gabriela stressed, Sia failed to adhere to when he offered to sleep with solo mothers during his party’s campaign rally last week.
“It is in this regard that we are writing this Honorable Court to respectfully look into the incident involving Atty. Sia and to act on the matter by imposing any disciplinary action as the Honorable Court may deem fit and proper,” it said.
Sia has already apologized for the incident. He later blamed the uploader of the video for allegedly blowing the incident out of proportion.
Sia is running against reelectionist Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo under the party of businesswoman Sarah Discaya.
Discaya has said that their party has barred Sia from joining their campaign activities for three days.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has also issued a show cause order to Sia asking him to explain why he should not face election charges over his controversial remarks.
Comelec chairman George Garcia said they are expecting Sia to answer the show cause order yesterday.
“Failure to submit (an answer) is considered a waiver on his right to explain. The Task Force will push through with the determination if a case should be filed against him or not,” said Garcia in an interview.
Meanwhile, the Comelec yesterday issued separate show cause orders to reelectionist Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia and Batangas gubernatorial bet and Mataas Na Kahoy vice mayor Jay Ilagan for making statements deemed as being discriminatory.
In separate orders, the Comelec – Task Force SAFE yesterday ordered Unabia and Ilagan to explain their actions and why they shouldn’t be held accountable for committing election offenses.
“In view of the foregoing, you are hereby ordered to show cause in writing within a non-extendible period of three days from receipt hereof, and to explain why a complaint for election offense and/or a petition for disqualification should not be filed against you,” said Comelec – Task Force SAFE head Director Sonia Wee-Lozada.
“Failure on your part to comply with this Order shall be construed as a waiver of your right to be heard and the filing of the appropriate case against you,” she added.
The actions of the Comelec stemmed from the statement made by Unabia during a campaign activity last April 3 that the province’s nursing scholarship is exclusive for female nursing students that are good-looking.
In the same event, Unabia also claimed that Maranaos and security issues would dominate Misamis Oriental in the event that the political rival of his son would win the congressional race.
On the other hand, the Comelec took notice of the statements made by Ilagan in a campaign activity last March 29, wherein he allegedly committed discrimination against women, and gender-based harassment when he said that he is not afraid of his political rival, former Batangas governor Vilma Santos-Recto, as she is no longer a popular actress.
Ilagan added that he is also not threatened by her supporters as they are either old or dead.
“In our view, the foregoing constitute possible violations of Comelec Resolution No. 11116 or the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines,” said Wee-Lozada.
In a related development, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian yesterday sent a fact-finding team to Pasig City to investigate the alleged exploitation and use of a mentally-challenged woman in a video to criticize reelectionist Pasig City mayor Vico Sotto.
“We have dispatched a fact-finding team to look into the reported malicious exploitation of a mentally-challenged person who was put on video and forced to say negative things against the incumbent mayor. And if proven true, the DSWD will take the lead in filing the case against those behind the video,” Gatchalian said.
He said the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable should not be exploited or abused for the political gains of any candidate, adding that they should instead be protected and aided.
In the video, which was uploaded on the Journal Pasig Facebook page, a 57-year old woman, who was reportedly diagnosed with psychological disability, claimed that she would no longer vote for Sotto as she has yet to receive any form of assistance from him.
The woman’s family claimed that she was supposed to avail of the free rice being given out by some candidates in the neighboring barangay, but was told that she needed to record a video first.
Gatchalian said using persons with disabilities for political ends may be a violation of Republic Act No. 7610, or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act” which defines children as minors, as well as adults who “are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition.”
Under RA 7610, national government agencies should protect minors and those with special needs from any form of abuse, including “cruelty or exploitation” and “other conditions prejudicial to the child’s development.”
It also provides comprehensive measures to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, and discrimination, including severe penalties for offenders and programs for prevention and treatment.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian condemned the exploitation of persons with mental disabilities for political campaigning and urged authorities to unmask and file charges against individuals behind the campaign strategy.
“I strongly condemn the exploitation of persons with mental disability for political campaigning. A swift investigation into the smear campaign video targeting Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto – allegedly featuring this individual – is imperative. Using PWDs in such tactics is a deplorable act of abuse that has no place in our electoral discourse and in a humane/civilized society,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“I urge our law enforcement authorities to unmask those behind this video. If found guilty of violating the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, those responsible should face the consequences of their actions and serve time behind bars,” he added.
The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said the back-to-back sexist jokes given by local candidates in the May 12 polls should serve as “a wake up call” for all Filipino voters on the importance of voting wisely.
In a phone interview, PPCRV National Communications director Ana Singson said the incidents involving Sia and Unabia should remind voters to pick candidates who give importance to values.
“These incidences remind us that the vote is sacred, and that we should discern and select based on key values,” said Singson.
“These incidences are a wake up call to the voting public. We need to choose our candidates with discernment based on values,” she added.
In particular, she said voters must look into key values being promoted by the PPCRV, such as being God-fearing, honest, polite, industrious, helpful, and nationalistic.
“In the coming elections, choose only candidates, whose values align with yours,” said Singson. – With Gerard Naval, Jocelyn Montemayor and Raymond Africa
