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Pasig congressional bet Ian Sia during a campaign sortie in Pasig City on April 3, 2025.
Christian "Ian" Sia via Facebook
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has filed a disqualification petition against congressional aspirant Ian Sia over alleged discriminatory remarks made during his campaign.
The "motu proprio" petition was filed by Comelec’s Task Force SAFE on Wednesday, April 16.
According to Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco, the complaint will be raffled to a Comelec division, which will then issue a summons to Sia and an order for him to file a comment in response to the complaint.
“So ‘yan po ay parte ng due process kung saan papakinggan din si Atty. Sia katulad ng pagpapakinig ng ating task force bago pa man naisampa itong petition,” Laudiangco said in an interview with reporters.
(So that's part of due process where Atty. Sia will also be heard, just like how our task force will listen before this petition is even filed.)
Laudiangco said the case was filed after the task force found Sia's response to two show-cause orders unsatisfactory.
Based on the petition, Sia violated Comelec Resolution No. 11116, or the Anti-Discriminatory and Fair Campaigning Guidelines for the 2025 elections.
The task force also asked the poll body not to proclaim Sia in case he wins the elections.
On April 7, women’s rights group Gabriela also sent a letter to the Supreme Court asking for “appropriate action” on Sia’s campaign remarks.
What prompted the petition. The poll body has sent two show-cause orders against Sia due to his remarks on separate campaign sorties.
The first was due to his remark on April 3, jokingly offering himself to single mothers.
Sia invoked his right to free speech in response to the first show-cause order.
However, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia earlier said that an apology would not suffice, saying that Sia must explain his "misogynistic" remarks.
On April 8, the task force issued another show-cause order over Sia's comments about the appearance of his assistant during a separate campaign sortie.
