Pasig bet ordered: Explain lewd joke on single mothers

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a show-cause order against Pasig City congressional candidate Christian Sia on why he should not be charged with an election offense and disqualified following lewd remarks about single mothers in a now-viral video.

“This is my contribution to solo parents in Pasig: once a year, female solo parents who still menstruate and are lonely may sleep with me,” Sia said in Filipino during a campaign sortie in Barangay Pinagbuhatan on Tuesday.

According to the Comelec-Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (Task Force SAFE), Sia’s remarks could constitute a violation of Comelec Resolution No. 11116, or the anti-discrimination and fair campaigning guidelines for purposes of the May 12 national and local elections and BARMM parliamentary elections.

Sia has been given a non-extendible period of three days upon receipt of the show cause order to respond.

“Failure on your part to comply with this order shall be construed a waiver of your right to be heard and the filing of the appropriate case against you,” Task Force SAFE head Sonia Wee-Lozada said in the three-page order.

At a press conference yesterday, Sia said the joke originated during a small meeting of coordinators of solo parents. He claimed that the attendees of that meeting did not take offense at the joke.

The former Pasig councilor added that he sincerely aims to uplift solo parents and has no intention of mocking their plight.

“I also have a sibling who is a solo parent, as well as my grandmother, so I understand what solo parents are going through… my intention is clear, to help their sector, so I offer my heartfelt and sincere apology,” he said.

No laughing matter

Several sectors were not amused by Sia’s remarks, including Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who described solo parents as “real-life heroes.”

“They raise their kids alone through sheer sacrifice. Let’s not marginalize them further. As DSWD secretary, I simply do not find this funny,” he said in a statement.

For Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas, candidates like Sia who normalize the objectification of women should never be given a platform to amplify their distorted values.

“We can call the attention of Comelec, and even file a disbarment case against Atty. Sia for violating the oath of lawyers due to his grossly immoral conduct,” she said in a statement.

Likewise, women’s peasant group Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women criticized Sia for his skewed view of solo female parents.

“He belittles the hardships of solo parents as he thinks that they only need random sex,” Cathy Estavillo, the group’s secretary general, said.

Pasig District 2 Councilor Angelu de Leon, the chairperson of the city council’s committee on social services and solo parent affairs, has issued a condemnation of Sia on her Facebook account.

“It is enraging that right after Women’s Month and during a month recognizing solo parents nationwide, we hear degrading and vile statements about female solo parents at a public event coming from a lawyer running for Congress,” De Leon said in Filipino.

In Congress, House assistant majority leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said Sia’s behavior is unacceptable, election period or not.

“It’s time that we do not normalize this, even jokes, so we do not normalize this language and these actions,” the lawmaker said in a Zoom interview.

Meanwhile, administration senatorial bets also lambasted Sia for his offensive remarks against women.

“I have a mother, I have a sister and I have daughters, so that was really inappropriate. It felt like, wow, you’re trying too hard to be charming, boss,” ACT- CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo said in Filipino.

“That’s a very immoral statement. I don’t think it’s appropriate for a public servant to speak like that. If that’s your attitude, then I believe it’s better not to vote for you,” former Senate president Tito Sotto said.

“If you’re going to campaign, this is what you should avoid – it’s completely unnecessary and very insensitive. That’s not campaigning; that’s a way to lose votes,” former senator Panfilo Lacson said. — Emmanuel Tupas, Bella Cariaso, Mark Ernest Villeza, Cecille Suerte Felipe