Comelec chair to Nueva Ecija gubernatorial bet: Don’t make fun of cancer
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia —INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Cancer is not something to joke about.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia made this statement on Thursday when asked about the show cause order issued by the poll body’s anti-discrimination panel against a Nueva Ecija gubernatorial candidate.
Garcia said that discriminating against an individual because of his disability is prohibited under the Comelec Resolution No. 11116 or the Anti-discriminatory and Fair Campaigning guidelines for the 2025 elections and its supplemental resolution.
“Kapag may kapansanan, may nararamdaman, may health issue, let’s refrain from attacking the candidate because of that,” Garcia said in a press conference.
(If an individual has an illness or health issue, let’s refrain from attacking the candidate because of that.)
READ: Comelec issues show cause order vs Nueva Ecija bet over cancer remark
Nueva Ecija gubernatorial candidate Virgio Bote during a campaign sortie said in Filipino: “Now, my candidate for mayor will no longer lose because our opponent is in the hospital. He was not shot. His illness is called what’s that? What’s that illness? Bypass kidney stage five cancer. Also cancer! Which is why they could not campaign. So that’s a relief.”
Garcia noted that the remark is a “clear” discrimination against a person with disability (PWD).
“Ang mga cancer ay kabilang sa may PWD, kung nauunawaan po natin. Hindi po yan jinojoke at di ginagawa o ginagamit para maalipusta yung mga taong may ganyang sakit,” Garcia added.
([People with] cancer are included in the PWD, if we understand. It is not something to joke about and it should not be used to ridicule or mock a person with that illness.)
According to the poll body, candidates violating the anti-discriminatory and fair campaigning guidelines may face an election offense or disqualification case.
READ: Comelec declares election-related activities, venues as ‘safe spaces’
Bote is the fifth election candidate to be issued a show cause order for possible violation of the resolution.
Pasig City congressional bet Christian Sia was the first candidate ordered to explain remarks after his lewd jokes about single mothers.
