By Ferdinand Patinio
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday issued a show cause order (SCO) against two local candidates in Pangasinan over an alleged “kissing auction” that happened in one of their campaign rallies.
Urdaneta City Mayor Rammy Parayno and Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno, both seeking reelection in the May 12 elections, were given three days upon the receipt of the SCO to submit a written explanation on why they should not be subjected to election offense and disqualification.
The Comelec’s Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion (SAFE) issued the SCO after a video went viral on social media showing the Paraynos conducting a bidding war among officials for a chance to kiss an elderly woman from the crowd, with the bid reaching PHP5,000.
According to the task force, the incident may have possibly violated Comelec Resolution No. 11116, or the Anti-discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines for the May 2025 elections, and Safe Spaces Act, which protects individuals against gender-based harassment.
Comelec Resolution No. 1116 states that gender-based harassment refers to “any unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or remarks against any person regardless of the motive, whether in person or online, broadcast or in print.”
Violation of the resolution is subject to an election offense.
The Omnibus Election Code states that an election offense is punishable by disqualification to hold public office, deprivation of the right of suffrage, and imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years. (PNA)
