The Commission on Elections (Comelec) anti-discriminatory panel filed a motu proprio petition for disqualification against Pasig City congressional candidate Christian "Ian" Sia on Wednesday, April 16.

According to Comelec spokesman Atty. John Rex Laudiangco, the case will first be raffled to a Comelec Division before a summons will be issued against Sia for him to comment or file his answer to the petition.

In filing the petition, Laudiangco said that Comelec's Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (SAFE) was not satisified with Sia's replies to previous show cause orders issued against him for 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.

"So nakita po ng task force, may nakitang paglabag, hindi lamang doon sa Resolution 11116, pati na rin doon sa 11127, kundi mismo doon sa batas, yung cini-cite po nila kanina, Section 261 (e) ng Omnibus Election Code (So the task force saw that there was a violation—not only of Resolution 11116 and also 11127, but of the law itself, the one they were citing earlier, which is Section 261 (e) of the Omnibus Election Code)," he said.

"Specifically, yung batas na yan, yung provision na yan, nagsasabing pinagpabawal yung mga threats, intimidation at discrimination dito po sa kampanya (Specifically, that law—that provision—states that threats, intimidation, and discrimination are prohibited during the campaign period)," he added.

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.

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.

Director Sonia Bea Wee-Lozada, who heads Task Force Safe said that this is the first motu proprio case filed against a candidate by the anti-discriminatory panel.

She said that in the petition, aside from disqualification, the task force also requested for the suspension of Sia's proclamation if ever he wins.

Laudiangco said that the request for suspension of proclamation is imperative because the process would become more complicated without it since they would ask him to step down should he win. The respondent may also appeal the decision to the Supreme Court (SC)

But he stated that according to Comelec rules, if after elevating the case to the Supreme Court (SC) no temporary restraining order is received within five days, the Comelec will implement the decision.

"So kung ito ay disqualification, walang TRO, after 5 days ma-promulgate, i-coconsider po ng Comelec anong mang boto na matatanggap niya as stray votes ("So if it's a disqualification and there's no TRO, after 5 days from promulgation, the Comelec will consider any votes that the candidate receives as stray votes)," he said.

"At kung sakali man, ang sinasabi natin kanina, hindi pa manalo. Ngunit nakuha yung pinakamaraming boto para sa posisyon, maari mag-suspend ng proclamation ang Comelec (And if ever, as we mentioned earlier, the candidate doesn’t win yet but gets the highest number of votes for the position, the Comelec may suspend the proclamation)," he added.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia is keen on handling all disqualification cases before the midterm polls.

Meanwhile, Laudiangco said that a solo parents group has filed a verified complaint for election offense against Sia. Through this, he said that the Comelec Law Department is determining if there's probable cause to file a criminal complaint against him before a Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Sia received two show-cause orders from the poll body's anti-discrminatory panel: first for lewd remarks against single mothers, and second for his statement about his staff's physical figure. He told Comelec that his statements about single mothers did not violate or discriminate against women. He also questioned the constitutionality of Comelec Resolution No. 1116.A motu proprio petition for disqualification was filed on Wednesday, April 16, against Pasig City congressional candidate Christian "Ian" Sia by the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) anti-discriminatory panel.

According to Comelec spokesman Atty. John Rex Laudiangco, the case will first be raffled to a Comelec Division before a summons will be issued against Sia for him to comment or file his answer to the petition.

In filing the petition, Laudiangco said that Comelec's Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (SAFE) was not satisified with Sia's replies to previous show cause orders issued against him for 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.

"So nakita po ng task force, may nakitang paglabag, hindi lamang doon sa Resolution 11116, pati na rin doon sa 11127, kundi mismo doon sa batas, yung cini-cite po nila kanina, Section 261 (e) ng Omnibus Election Code (So the task force saw that there was a violation—not only of Resolution 11116 and also 11127, but of the law itself, the one they were citing earlier, which is Section 261 (e) of the Omnibus Election Code)," he said.

"Specifically, yung batas na yan, yung provision na yan, nagsasabing pinagpabawal yung mga threats, intimidation at discrimination dito po sa kampanya (Specifically, that law—that provision—states that threats, intimidation, and discrimination are prohibited during the campaign period)," he added.

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.

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.

Director Sonia Bea Wee-Lozada, who heads Task Force Safe said that this is the first motu proprio case filed against a candidate by the anti-discriminatory panel.

She said that in the petition, aside from disqualification, the task force also requested for the suspension of Sia's proclamation if ever he wins.

Laudiangco said that the request for suspension of proclamation is imperative because the process would become more complicated without it since they would ask him to step down should he win. The respondent may also appeal the decision to the Supreme Court (SC)

But he stated that according to Comelec rules, if after elevating the case to the Supreme Court (SC) no temporary restraining order is received within five days, the Comelec will implement the decision.

"So kung ito ay disqualification, walang TRO, after 5 days ma-promulgate, i-coconsider po ng Comelec anong mang boto na matatanggap niya as stray votes ("So if it's a disqualification and there's no TRO, after 5 days from promulgation, the Comelec will consider any votes that the candidate receives as stray votes)," he said.

"At kung sakali man, ang sinasabi natin kanina, hindi pa manalo. Ngunit nakuha yung pinakamaraming boto para sa posisyon, maari mag-suspend ng proclamation ang Comelec (And if ever, as we mentioned earlier, the candidate doesn’t win yet but gets the highest number of votes for the position, the Comelec may suspend the proclamation)," he added.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia is keen on handling all disqualification cases before the midterm polls.

Meanwhile, Laudiangco said that a solo parents group has filed a verified complaint for election offense against Sia. Through this, he said that the Comelec Law Department is determining if there's probable cause to file a criminal complaint against him before a Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Sia received two show-cause orders from the poll body's anti-discriminatory panel: first for lewd remarks against single mothers, and second for his statement about his staff's physical figure. He told Comelec that his statements about single mothers did not violate or discriminate against women. He also questioned the constitutionality of Comelec Resolution No. 1116.

According to Comelec spokesman Atty. John Rex Laudiangco, the case will first be raffled to a Comelec Division before a summons will be issued against Sia for him to comment or file his answer to the petition.

In filing the petition, Laudiangco said that Comelec's Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (SAFE) was not satisfied with Sia's replies to previous show cause orders issued against him for 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.

"So nakita po ng task force, may nakitang paglabag, hindi lamang doon sa Resolution 11116, pati na rin doon sa 11127, kundi mismo doon sa batas, yung cini-cite po nila kanina, Section 261 (e) ng Omnibus Election Code (So the task force saw that there was a violation—not only of Resolution 11116 and also 11127, but of the law itself, the one they were citing earlier, which is Section 261 (e) of the Omnibus Election Code)," he said.

"Specifically, yung batas na yan, yung provision na yan, nagsasabing pinagpabawal yung mga threats, intimidation at discrimination dito po sa kampanya (Specifically, that law—that provision—states that threats, intimidation, and discrimination are prohibited during the campaign period)," he added.

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.

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.

Director Sonia Bea Wee-Lozada, who heads Task Force Safe said that this is the first motu proprio case filed against a candidate by the anti-discriminatory panel.

She said that in the petition, aside from disqualification, the task force also requested the suspension of Sia's proclamation if ever he wins.

Laudiangco said that the request for suspension of proclamation is imperative because the process would become more complicated without it since they would ask him to step down should he win. The respondent may also appeal the decision to the Supreme Court (SC)

But he stated that according to Comelec rules, if after elevating the case to the Supreme Court (SC) no temporary restraining order is received within five days, the Comelec will implement the decision.

"So kung ito ay disqualification, walang TRO, after 5 days ma-promulgate, i-coconsider po ng Comelec anong mang boto na matatanggap niya as stray votes ("So if it's a disqualification and there's no TRO, after 5 days from promulgation, the Comelec will consider any votes that the candidate receives as stray votes)," he said.

"At kung sakali man, ang sinasabi natin kanina, hindi pa manalo. Ngunit nakuha yung pinakamaraming boto para sa posisyon, maari mag-suspend ng proclamation ang Comelec (And if ever, as we mentioned earlier, the candidate doesn’t win yet but gets the highest number of votes for the position, the Comelec may suspend the proclamation)," he added.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia is keen on handling all disqualification cases before the midterm polls.

Meanwhile, Laudiangco said that a solo parents group has filed a verified complaint against Sia for an election offense. Through this, he said that the Comelec Law Department is determining if there's probable cause to file a criminal complaint against him before a Regional Trial Court (RTC).