House official tells Pasig voters: Don‘t pick bets who disrespect women
Ian Sia, a congressional candidate for the lone district of Pasig City, finds himself in hot water following a joke many found lewd during a campaign speech. Photo from Sia’s Facebook page.
MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre has urged Pasig City residents to refrain from voting for candidates who disrespect and degrade women after a congressional aspirant made an obscene joke about single mothers during a campaign sortie.
Acidre, in an online press briefing on Friday, was asked about the joke made by Ian Sia, who is seeking Pasig’s lone congressional seat in the 2025 midterm elections, that lonely single mothers can have sex with him.
According to Acidre, such jokes should not be allowed, whether or not they are made during the election season.
“Hindi po nararapat, naaayon sa panahon ng eleksyon, kahit hindi ho panahon ng eleksyon. Pero kung ako po ang inyong tatanungin, ang pinakamaganda pong gawin natin, hindi man ho ako botante sa Pasig, eh ‘wag ho nating iboto ‘yong mga ganitong klase ng politiko — ‘yong bastos, ‘yong walang paggalang sa babae, lalong-lalo na ‘yong ginagawang katatawanan ang ating kababaihan,” he said.
(It is improper during this election season — or even if there are no elections — to make such jokes. But if you’ll ask me, the best thing that we can do, even if I am not a voter in Pasig, is for people to refrain from picking these kinds of candidates — those who are disrespectful of women, those who make fun of our women.)
Acidre said there should be consequences and people should not normalize this type of behavior.
Sia, who is running under the slate of Pasig mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya, was presenting his platforms to city residents when he said that being a lawmaker means crafting laws for the entire Philippines and not only for Pasig.
He then said that he will check on the welfare of single parents by offering to sleep with single mothers.
“Ang mga solo parent na babae na nireregla pa at nalulungkot, minsan sa isang taon, pwedeng sumiping ho sa akin,” Sia said during a campaign sortie.
(Solo parents who are women and who are still menstruating, once a year, they can sleep with me.)
Government officials have called out Sia over his statements. Earlier, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said that members of marginalized sectors, such as single parents, should not be targets of jokes and insults, especially lewd ones.
According to Gatchalian, while he understands how difficult it is to grab voters’ attention during campaign sorties, it should not be done this way.
READ: DSWD calls out Pasig House bet for joke about single moms: ‘Not funny’
Former actress and Pasig Councilor Angelu de Leon also expressed her dismay at the “misogynistic” remarks from Sia, noting that the country had just recently celebrated women’s month in March, and single mothers are being hailed this April.
READ: Angelu de Leon slams Pasig candidate Ian Sia’s remarks to single mothers
Sia, meanwhile, claimed that his opponents are blowing his joke out of proportion.
The Commission on Elections has asked Sia to explain his lewd joke. According to Acidre, the Comelec’s actions are important as it will dictate how similar actions will be dealt with in the future.
READ: Comelec asks Pasig House bet Sia to explain following lewd joke on women
“I think na the fact that naglabas na ng show-cause order ang Comelec, magiging batayan na ito kung ano mga hakbang kailang gawin para maitama. Clearly the language alone, the fact na sinabi niya, for me is already offensive sa ating mga kababaihan kaya’t tama lang ho na mabigyan ng karampatang parusa kung meron man itong kandidatong ito. Hindi po pwedeng to take lightly ang mga issues na katulad ng rape, katulad ng sexual innuendos,” Acidre said.
(I think na the fact that Comelec has already issued a show-cause order will be a basis of what steps should be taken to correct these incidents. Clearly the language alone, the fact that he said this, for me is already offensive towards our women that is why it is only correct to give a corresponding punishment for this candidate. We cannot take issues such as rape and sexual innuendos lightly.)
“Because sa totoo, dati na ‘yan, kumbaga sabi nga nila, bumenta na ‘yan, dapat mas marunong na tayo sa pagpili ng klase ng leader na meron tayo, ‘yong hindi bastos, ‘yong may paggalang, ‘yong maayos sa gawa at panananita,” he added.
(Because, in all honesty, this has happened before, but we have learned from this. We should know better how to pick what kind of leader we need — those who respect, those who are courteous in their words and actions.)
