Comelec asks Davao de Oro guv bet to explain lewd remarks vs widow

Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — A candidate for Davao de Oro provincial governor became the fourth candidate to receive a show cause order from the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Incumbent Davao de Oro 2nd district Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga is being asked by the Comelec’s anti-discrimination panel on Wednesday to explain his misogynistic remarks and his lewd statement on a widow.

According to the Comelec’s show cause order dated April 9, Gonzaga ordered board member candidate Nene Atamosa to stand in front of a crowd with a certain kagawad or village councilor and asked the two to kiss.

Atamosa, a widow for 14 years, was the subject of Gonzaga’s remark.

“I am telling you, Nene Atamosa is a widow of 14 years.  I am sure her ‘something’ is already closed. Will you try to make it loose?” The candidate also told the kagawad in vernacular language.

Because of such actions and remarks, the Comelec panel said Gonzaga is “hereby ordered to SHOW CAUSE in writing within a non-extendible period of three (3) days from the receipt thereof and to explain why a complaint for election offense and/or petition for disqualification should not be filed against you.”

Gonzaga is the fourth candidate to receive such an order from Comelec.

READ: Pasig House bet Ian Sia invokes freedom of speech in show cause response

Comelec first issued a show cause order on April 4 against Pasig City lone district representative aspirant Ian Sia for his remarks, offering himself to single mothers, especially “menstruating” ones. A second show-cause order was issued by the panel against Sia on Tuesday, this time over remarks which appear to fat shame his former assistant, also a woman. Sia has yet to respond to this.

READ: Sorry is not enough, Comelec chief tells Pasig bet

On Monday, April 7, the Comelec issued two show cause orders against Misamis Oriental gubernatorial reelectionist Peter Unabia and Mataas na Kahoy town vice mayor and Batangas gubernatorial candidate Jay Ilagan.

Unabia was asked to explain his unsavory remarks on “ugly” nurses and Moro people, while Ilagan is ordered to do the same, this time over his remarks against opponent Vilma Santos-Recto whom he called “laos” (has been) while alluding to her old age.

READ: Comelec to Misamis Oriental gov: Explain unsavory remarks on Moro, women

The panel said the candidates’ remarks could be a possible violation of Comelec Resolution No. 11116.

The resolution states that no discrimination shall be acted against marginalized groups like women, along with 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) and persons with disability.