Bet ordered: Explain free movie tickets

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April 12, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a show-cause order to a congressional candidate in Palawan for offering free movie tickets to the public.

The Comelec’s Committee on Kontra Bigay (CKB) ordered Abraham Kahlil Blanco Mitra to explain why he should not be disqualified or charged with an election offense after he and his camp organized a free screening of the movie “Sinagtala” in Puerto Princesa City on April 2.

The CKB was able to monitor Mitra’s recent activity through his official Facebook page, where he said the 165 slots for the screening were already availed of by interested moviegoers, with bottled water and popcorn as inclusions.

“An examination of the 02 April 2025 Facebook post reveals that you, while being candidate for Member, House of Representatives, 3rd District Palawan offered free movie tickets to the public for the movie Sinagtala,” said the Comelec.

The CKB added, “On 04 April 2025, you posted in the same Facebook page pictures showing you were present during the block screening of such a movie at SM Puerto Princesa, along with your supporters and other individuals.”

“In light of the foregoing, you are hereby ordered to Show Cause in writing within a non-extendible period of three 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,” CKB vice chairman Teopisto Elnas Jr. said in a three-page order.

“It is the position of this Committee that the foregoing Facebook posts that you made constitute possible violation of Section 261 (a) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), as implemented by Section 26 (b) of Comelec Resolution No. 11104.”

Section 26 of the resolution states: “The commission of the following acts, along with possession of campaign materials and other corroborative evidence, shall be presumed to be vote-buying and vote-selling: (b) offering or promising something of value in consideration for someone’s vote.”

The Comelec has also ordered Silang, Cavite mayoralty candidate Alston Kevin Anarna to explain his remarks about single parents during a recent campaign event.

The order was issued following the video of Anarna making inappropriate comments about solo parents and a senior citizen that was monitored by the Comelec on his online campaign platform registered with the commission.

During the campaign activity, Anarna was seen and heard saying there are many people who pinched his butt, and that one grandmother even gave him an intense kiss.

Anarna also said he would give solo parents their respective partners by holding a raffle.

“Who are the solo parents here? Why did it seem that your number increased? We will give all solo parents a free partner. What we will do is we’ll subject to raffle all the widowers and widows, and just be content with whom you will be matched. After which, I will preside over your marriage,” Anarna said in Filipino.

The Comelec said such actions by Anarna can be considered as gender-based harassment under Comelec Resolution 11116 or the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines in relation to Republic Act 11313 (Safe Spaces Act).

Meanwhile, Filipino Nurses United (FNU) called on the Comelec to investigate the discriminatory remarks of reelectionist Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia about the nursing profession.

FNU strongly condemned the misogynistic and demeaning remarks made by Unabia who, at a campaign event, claimed that nursing is only for beautiful women and that ugly women taking care of sick men will only worsen patients’ condition.

“The statement of the governor, more so as an elected official, is not just offensive, it is dangerous,” FNU noted.

They added, “It reduces the noble nursing profession to a sexist fantasy and reveals the distorted mindset of a public servant who holds power over real lives.”

FNU said Unabia should not just be called out but should be voted out.

The Comelec earlier issued a show cause order to Unabia, requiring him to explain his controversial remarks about nurses.

Unabia defended his statements as campaign banter and not as a matter of public policy or exclusionary criteria.

Not covered

Two candidates who were recently sent show-cause orders by the Comelec for their inappropriate remarks while campaigning argued that their statements were not made during the campaign period and thus could not be covered by election campaign rules.

Batangas gubernatorial bet Jay Ilagan told the Comelec’s Task Force SAFE that the incident questioned by the Comelec did not occur in a campaign sortie but during an interview prior to the start of the official campaign period for local candidates.

“The Supreme Court affirmed the principle that a person does not become a candidate until the official campaign period begins,” said Ilagan.

He noted “the distinction is vital because campaign-related rules, prohibitions and liabilities do not attach until one is formally deemed a candidate under the law.”

Ilagan said the remarks “must be understood as a combination of figurative speech and humor, typical of political commentary and not as discriminatory or malicious attacks on women or the elderly.” — Ed Amoroso, Jose Rodel Clapano, Janvic Mateo