“It’s difficult to fight the incumbent. It requires courage and perseverance. The resolution of the Comelec Second Division is clear that I am still a candidate. My votes will be counted.” — Atty. Christian “Ian” Sia, running for Pasig City’s seat at the House of Representatives (Featured image above)

Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-OA4

BARANGAY SAGAD, Pasig City, May 09, 2025 (SDN) — Lawyer Christian “Ian” Sia is still a candidate and his votes will be counted on Monday, May 12, in the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE).

He is running for the Pasig congressional seat in the House of Representatives under Team Kaya This led by their mayoralty candidate for mayor, businesswoman-philanthropist Ate Sarah Discaya.

Pasigueño Sia, former councilor in the City Council, also former environment undersecretary, face on Friday members of the mainstream media and the blogging community to discuss the resolutionof the Second Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that “disqualified him for a sexist joke he delivered before his supporters.

He emphasized that he is still a candidate on May 12 and his votes will be counted.

The resolution, he emphasized, is “not yet final and executory,” adding he is going to appeal the decision with the Comelec En Banc.

His saying that he is still a candidate and the votes that will be cast (for him) will still be counted pending finality of the Comelec En Banc’s ruling on his candidacy.

Sia clarified at the press conference that two complaints were filed against him but the first one was dismissed for not following procedures for such case.

In the event the decision of the poll body’s ruling is affirmed, the Pasigueño candidate still has the Supreme Court to go to for the final determination of his case.

He contented that the violation of the Safe Spaces Act does not constitute as ground for a candidate’s disqualification.

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“In the event that I win, my proclamation will only be suspended.”

The Pasigueño lawyer said there are more serious cases of candidates in the 2025 midterm elections who have arrests warrants but the Comelec did not disqualify them.

His case was lodged moto propio by a Comelec task force on safe space, prompting to ask why candidates with more serious offenses are not being complained about.

He also averred about alleged vote buying cases which the Comelec under Chair George Erwin Garcia should use it’s resources, not just him who only made a joke and that he subsequently apologized those offended, particularly solo parents, and women.

In a related development, he hit those in the other political side for making use his “disqualification” as propaganda and can’t be voted upon.

“Mahirap po kalabanin ang nakaupo. It requires courage and perseverance. Malinaw po ang resolution ng Comelec Second Division, kandidato pa po ako. Bibilangin ang aking buto, ” Sia stressss.

(Translation: It’s difficult to fight the incumbent. It requires courage and perseverance. The resolution of Comelec Second Division is clear that I am still a candidate. My votes will be counted.)

“In the event that I win, my proclamation will only be suspended, ” says points out.

He lamented that three weeks of the campaign period were wasted becauss of the too much focus on his joke. (/)