Comelec body wants Misamis Oriental gov DQ’d from 2025 polls

Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia — Photo from Misamis Oriental Provincial Information Office official page.

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec), through Task Force Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections (Safe), is seeking to disqualify Misamis Oriental gubernatorial re-electionist Peter Unabia from the 2025 elections for his remarks on women and the Moro people.

Task Force Safe filed a petition for disqualification against Unabia before the Clerk of Commission on Friday for violating Comelec Resolution No. 11116 or the Anti-discriminatory and Fair Campaigning Guidelines for the 2025 elections, specifically on the election offense of discrimination against women, gender-based harassment, and labeling.

READ: Misamis Oriental gov says remarks on nurses, Moros done ‘in good faith’

Unabia drew flak for his comments made in a campaign activity that the local administration’s scholarship program is only for “beautiful” nurses as the unattractive ones can worsen a patient’s condition; and localities would risk being dominated by Maranaos if his slate and allies did not win the elections.

The Task Force Safe previously ordered him to explain his unsavory remarks. In his response to the show cause order, he invoked his freedom of speech and said that they were all “made in good faith.”

READ: Comelec body files DQ case vs Ian Sia over lewd remarks on single moms

The task force noted that the filing was done on a motu proprio basis. It means that the anti-discrimination panel conducted its own investigation and acted on the answers submitted to them.

Unabia is the second candidate facing a petition for disqualification over discriminatory remarks, next to Pasig City congressional bet Ian Sia.

The Comelec resolution, 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.