A Filipino congressional candidate is facing backlash over misogynistic comments he allegedly made during a campaign trail, which could lead to his disqualification from the upcoming May elections.
The commission on elections (Comelec) in the Philippines has issued two show cause notices to Christian Sia, the candidate from Pasig city, over a set of sexist remarks allegedly made during recent campaign events.
The poll body’s Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections on Tuesday issued the new order asking Mr Sia to explain comments he made about his assistant’s weight and physical appearance.
During a speech on 3 April, the lawyer-turned-politician allegedly “mentioned something about her physical situation”, according to Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia. He said that the candidate’s assistant has not filed a case so far but the poll body’s anti-discrimination task force could still file a complaint.
The election body issued the first show cause notice against Mr Sia last week after he offered to sleep with single mothers, which he later claimed was a joke. “Any lonely, single mother who is still having her period, let me be clear, she should still be having her period, I will sleep with her for one night,” he said during his election caucus.
His comment was widely criticised by women’s rights groups, who said Mr Sia’s remark reduced single parents’ struggle to a crass joke. Mr Sia apologised on Friday and said his supporters should be angry at the person who uploaded the video for not showing the part where the audience allegedly laughed at his remark.
The candidate reportedly claimed that the remark, which he called a joke, was meant to add “shock” value to his speech. “If I hurt your feelings, I apologise,” he said.
Women’s rights group Gabriela has written to the chief justice of the Philippines, Alexander Gesmundo, to urge the Supreme Court to disbar Mr Sia for his remarks.
The group said Mr Sia’s apology was “wanting of any ounce of sincerity and evidently was merely an afterthought to troubleshoot the public uproar and backlash that he created”.
Mr Sia’s actions were “appalling and reprehensible”, which reeked of “misogyny and sexism”, the group said. “It is an attack against the dignity of every woman and a clear disrespect for the pain and struggle every single mother endures day to day.
“With Sia, there will be no safe space for women – whether in or outside the courtroom,” it added.
Elizabeth Angsioco, chair of the Democratic Socialist Women of the Philippines, told This Week in Asia that candidates who made such statements were more likely to file misogynistic bills or block pro-women measures.
Pasig councilor hopeful Shamcey Supsup-Lee on Tuesday announced her resignation from the mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya’s team, which Mr Sia is part of.
“As a woman and a mother, I do not tolerate statements – whether made in jest or in earnest – that diminish or disrespect women,” she said in a statement. “I believe we all have moments to learn from, and I hope this becomes one of them,” Ms Lee added.
The Comelec has also issued a show cause notice to another candidate, Misamis Oriental governor Peter Unabia, after he offered scholarships for “beautiful” female nursing students.
“We can’t have ugly nurses because if a recovering male patient sees them, their condition will worsen,” he allegedly said last week at a campaign rally. Mr Unabia later extended an apology to nursing professionals for his remark.
The Independent has reached out to Mr Sia for a comment.
