The Filipino congressional aspirant is at risk of being disqualified from the next May elections for making incendiary remarks regarding single mothers. A Filipino congressional aspirant is being questioned for misogynistic comments during his campaign.
While speaking on April 3, lawyer-turned-politician and congressional candidate Christian Sia of Pasig City made some remarks regarding single mothers, which most have found “sexist and degrading”. Sia is facing potential disqualification from the upcoming May elections after making controversial statements about single mothers and his assistant’s physical appearance.
Any lonely, single mother who is still having her period… let me be clear, she should still be having her period, I will sleep with her for one night,” he said at a rally,” the South China Morning Post quoted Sia’s statement. Following his scandal, the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) sent a show cause notice requesting that he give reasons why his comment should not result in sanctions or be removed from the ballot.
Women’s rights groups criticized his comment, claiming that Sia’s remark trivialized the struggles of single parents, reducing their challenges to a crass punchline. Christian Sia apologized on Friday, blaming the individual who posted the video, alleging that it had been edited to remove the laughter of the audience in reaction to his statement.
He alleged his statement was intended to provide “shock\” value to his speech. He subsequently apologized, saying, “If I hurt your feelings, I apologise.”. Women’s rights group Gabriela sent a letter to Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo of the Philippines urging the Supreme Court to disbar Sia over his comment. The group described Sia’s apology as “wanting of any ounce of sincerity and was only an afterthought to troubleshoot the public outcry and backlash that he generated”.
It is an assault on the dignity of all women and a brazen disregard for the suffering and hardship every single mom goes through daily. With Sia, there will be no refuge available for women – in or out of the courtroom,” the statement continued.
