Comelec orders E. Samar bet Noel Montallana to explain campaign remarks
The Commission on Elections. File Photo
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has ordered an Eastern Samar vice mayoral bet to explain his remarks on women and persons with disabilities (PWDs) that may have violated its resolution on anti-discrimination and fair campaigning guidelines for the 2025 elections.
Comelec’s Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (Safe) on Wednesday issued a show cause order to Noel Montallana for his following remarks in a campaign event on or about April 23:
” Ay(aru) nn kam hit kanda Evardone kay masumo na. Labot hin kasumo, iton hi RV syete bulanes la it. Ano nga klase, kulawa niyo it itsura dida hit iya tarpaulin.” Pito la it ka bulan, igin-anak hiya. So mayda pa hit depiransya. Ungod ko it. It iroy hiton, sapyot dama it, waray hit bobot. (Di sugad) tak arog it bubot nasiring,” Montallana was quoted as saying in his native dialect.
That can be translated to: “Don’t vote for the Evardones anymore because we’re sick of them. Aside from being sick of them, this RV (Evardone) was born at only seven months. What the heck, look at his face in his tarpaulin. He was prematurely born at seven months. So he is abnormal. That’s true. His mom is the same, she has no butt. Unlike my wife with a big butt.”
READ: Comelec body files DQ case vs Ian Sia over lewd remarks on single moms
`Anti-discrimination’
In its show cause order, the Task Force Safe said that the remarks “constitute possible violation of COMELEC Resolution No. 11116 or the ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND FAIR CAMPAIGNING GUIDELINES FOR PURPOSES OF THE 12 MAY 2025 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS AND BARMM PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS as amended by COMELEC Resolution No. 11127” specifically under the election offense of gender-based harassment, public ridicule against PWDs, and vilification of PWDs.
“In view of the foregoing and pursuant to Section 9 of Resolution No. 11127, you are hereby ordered to SHOW CAUSE in writing within a non-extendible period of three (3) days from receipt hereof and to explain why a complaint for election offense and/or a petition for disqualification should not be filed against you,” the order read.
Montallana is among the many candidates who received show cause orders from the Task Force Safe for their ill-received remarks.
The anti-discrimination panel filed a petition to disqualify Pasig City Congressional bet Christian Sia and Misamis Oriental gubernatorial re-electionist Peter Unabia for violating the Comelec Resolutions No. 11116 and 11127.
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The Comelec Resolution No. 11116, promulgated last February 19, stated that no discrimination shall be acted against cause-oriented groups and organizations, such as people that are part of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual) community, indigenous peoples, persons living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), persons with disability, and women.
The poll body also released its supplemental resolution, Comelec Resolution No. 11127, declaring all election activities and venues as “safe spaces” and foul language as an election offense.
