The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has asked Mataas na Kahoy town Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan explain on Monday, April 7 his controversial remarks about rival Batangas gubernatorial candidate and former actress Vilma Santos-Recto.

This order came from the poll body's Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (SAFE). 

The anti-discriminatory panel cited Ilagan's remarks during a campaign event last March 29.

"Kung ang aking kalaban ay si Kathryn Bernardo pero ang aking kalaban ay isang Vilma Santos lang na laos na, hindi ako takot. Kung si Kathryn Bernardo at si Andrea Brillantes ay takot ako. Pero Vilma Santos, marami naman sa mga fans niya ang namamahinga na rin, ang iba rin naman ay syempre nasa edad yan," Ilagan said.

(Had my opponent been Kathryn Bernardo, but instead I’m facing someone like the outdated Vilma Santos, so I’m not afraid. I would have been scared if it were Kathryn Bernardo and Andrea Brillantes. But with Vilma Santos, many of her fans have already passed away, while some of them are quite old).

The task force said that this constitutes a possible violation of Comelec Resolution No. 11116 or the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines for Purposes of the May 2025 National and Local Elections and BARMM Parliamentary Elections.

Under Section 3 of the resolution, during the election period, any person who, directly or indirectly, commits acts of bullying on the basis of HIV status, coercion, discrimination against women, discrimination against PWDs on the use of public accommodations, gender-based harassment, labeling, public ridicule against PWDs, vilification of PWDs, violation of an anti-discrimination ordinance, and/or violation of rights to religious, cultural sites and ceremonies as defined under Section 2 of this Resolution shall be liable for an election offense.

The resolution states that this is pursuant to Sec. 13 of Republic Act (RA) 9006 and Section 261 (e) of the Omnibus Election Code and other pertinent laws, rules and regulations.

"In view of the foregoing, you are hereby ordered to show cause in writing within a non-extendible period of three (3) days from the receipt thereof to explain why a complaint for election offense and/or a petition for disqualification should not be filed against you," the task force said.

So far, this has been the third show cause order issued against a 2025 poll candidate for what Comelec considers discriminatory remarks.