CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 13 April) — Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia, who is seeking reelection, stated that the anti-Moro and sexist remarks attributed to him during campaign rallies do not constitute an election offense. He argued that the comments were “made in good faith, expressed in non-malicious, non-threatening contexts” and were “not accompanied by any directive, propaganda, or sustained pattern of exclusionary or hateful campaigning.” In his three-page reply to the Comelec’s Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion (SAFE), Unabia emphasized that he did not identify, accuse, or associate any candidate, group, or community as “criminals, terrorists, and subversives” in his campaign speech. He described his presentation as a general cautionary discussion based on past events and security concerns, not an imputation of guilt or malice. The Task Force flagged Unabia for his anti-Moro remarks, which drew widespread condemnation from Bangsamoro officials, particularly those from Lanao del Sur, and for his sexist statement that the province’s nursing scholarship program should be available only to “beautiful women.” Unabia claimed that “unattractive” nurses could worsen a male patient’s condition, but he denied that his remarks constituted discrimination against women, stating there was no exclusion, denial, or impairment of women’s rights. Comelec Director Sonia Bea Wee-Lozada issued a “Show Cause Order” for Unabia to explain why disqualification proceedings should not be conducted against him, citing potential violations of the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaign Guidelines for his sexist and anti-Muslim remarks. During an April 3 rally in Tagoloan town, Unabia presented a slideshow titled “Mga Panghitabo sa BARMM areas” (Incidents in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), warning voters not to support candidates with ties to Meranaw politicians. He clarified that his remarks referred to historical acts of violence in the BARMM and were not intended to vilify any ethnic or religious group. Unabia maintained that his statements were a legitimate discussion of public interest and security policy, asserting that he did not make derogatory generalizations toward the Maranao people or any Muslim community. He highlighted his record of collaboration with Muslim constituents and peace-building initiatives. While he expressed regret for any misunderstanding, he insisted that his remarks did not legally or factually amount to discrimination or gender-based harassment. Unabia apologized to the Interfaith group led by Bishops and Ulama, but some Muslim groups vowed to continue boycotting his businesses, including the popular “San Pedro Lechon Manok.” A coalition of Meranaw leaders under the One Bangsamoro Movement filed a verified intervention before the Comelec seeking Unabia’s disqualification.
