Party-list seeks to disqualify Cavite mayoral bet for campaign jokes
MANILA, Philippines — Solo Parents Party-list on Tuesday filed a petition before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to disqualify Silang, Cavite mayoral candidate Alston Kevin Anarna from the 2025 elections over remarks on single parents and a grandmother.
The Task Force Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion (Safe) in Elections of the Comelec previously ordered Anarna to explain the following remarks made in a campaign sortie that may violate the Comelec Resolution No. 11116 or the Anti-discrimination and Fair Campaign Guidelines for the 2025 elections: “Kanina, di ko na mabilang kung ilan ang kumurot sa pwet ko. Mayroon kanina, si lola. Alam niyo, first time ‘to mangyari sa kampanya. Si lola, nilaplap pa ako. (Earlier, I couldn’t count how many pinched my bottom. There was one earlier, a grandmother. You know, this is the first time it happened in a campaign. The grandmother, she drowned me in kisses,” Anarna was quoted as saying.
READ: Comelec orders Cavite bet to explain joking about grandma, single parents
‘Widows raffled off’
He was also quoted as saying: “Sino dito ang mga solo parents? Bakit parang dumami ang solo parents? Kasi lahat ng solo parents bibigyan natin ng libreng asawa. Ang gagawin natin, lahat ng balong lalaki at lahat ng balong babae iraraffle na lang natin ’yan ha pasensyahan na lang tayo kung kanino kayo mapupunta kasi pagkabunot ng pangalan niyo, diretso kasal kay Mayor Kevin.”
(Who are solo parents here? Why does it seem like the number of solo parents is increasing? Because all solo parents, we will give them free spouses. What will we do? All widowed men and women will be raffled, alright? Forgive me for whoever you may end up with, because once your name is called in the raffle, you will be married at once by Mayor Kevin.)
“Petitioners seek to have Anarna disqualified from continuing as a candidate for the position of Mayor of Silang, Cavite in the 2025 NLE, based on the Anarna’s violation of Section 261 (e) [of the Omnibus Election Code], as implemented by Comelec Resolution No. 11116, in relation to Section 1 (c)(3)(v) of Comelec Resolution No. 11046,” the petition read.
The petitioners argued that “Anarna deliberately committed gender-based harassment during a campaign activity.” The Comelec Resolution No. 11116 states that gender-based harassment is considered an election offense pursuant to the Section 13 of Republic Act No. 9006 and Section 261 (e) of the OEC.
In addition, the petitioners asked the Comelec to consider the votes for Anarna as “stray” if he is disqualified by final and executory before the elections. They also said that the proclamation of Anarna must be suspended if he obtains the highest number of votes in the elections.
‘Solo parents should not be treated as a joke’
Roselle Teodosio, spokesperson for the Solo Parents Party-list and second nominee, said that jokes about solo parents should be stopped immediately.
“We hope with this filing, again, that the jokes on solo parents must be stopped because this sector goes through a lot and we feel that the dignity of solo parents has been questioned,” Teodosio, speaking in Filipino, told reporters in an interview.
READ: Comelec body files DQ case vs Ian Sia over lewd remarks on single moms
The party-list previously filed an election complaint against Pasig City Congressional candidate Atty. Christian Sia over his sexual joke about single mothers. The Task Force Safe also lodged a petition for disqualification against Sia for his joke on single mothers and his comments about the physical appearance of his female assistant.
Teodosio also said that the filing of a petition is “not a form of punishment but a message” that being a solo parent is not a joke.
“Let’s uphold the dignity and integrity of solo parents because what they’re going through is not a joke,” Teodosio added.
