The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has called out Manila councilor candidate Mocha Uson over her "sexually suggestive" campaign jingle.
In a letter to Uson, Sonia Bea Wee-Lozada, head of the Comelec Task Force SAFE, said that while political campaigns often aim to capture attention and engage voters, the poll body believes it is more important to be "direct to the point."
Uson, also a blogger, has a campaign jingle that went for suggestivr lyrics that goes: "Cookie ni Mocha, ang sarap-sarap (Mocha's cookie is delicious)."
"Puns and double meanings may be used as literary devices in campaigns, but we hope that these are used not to distract from your political platform or skirt the line between accepted speech and obscenity, as we are in the context of elections," Lozada said.
The poll body further warned that the sexually suggestive elements in her campaign jingle "can detract from the serious discussions" on policy, governance and the future of communities.
But the Comelec official said Uson is free to proceed with her candidacy "along those lines."
"We do not want to belittle a campaign platform based on sexually positive themes," the poll body's task force head said.
"If this is your message to the constituency of the third district of Manila, then, by all means, we hope that you will proceed with your candidacy and campaign along those lines, albeit in a more deliberate manner with proper regard for age-appropriateness," she said.
Lozada further expressed hope Uson will make choices that elevate political participation and discourse