Bets told: No gender slurs, red-tagging in campaign

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has warned that it will file a disqualification case against candidates who violate its anti-discrimination guidelines in the May midterm polls, including red-tagging and gender slurs.

- MAYEN JAYMALIN

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has warned that it will file a disqualification case against candidates who violate its anti-discrimination guidelines in the May midterm polls, including red-tagging and gender slurs. Comelec Chairman George Garcia noted yesterday that election campaigns can be offensive, especially in local races "where insolent and disrespectful remarks surface."

The guidelines will also apply to supporters who disrespect candidates publicly, on social media and in television or radio broadcasts, he noted. Another state agency warned the poll body against publishing the guidelines, Garcia said. "When we were reading the letter (from the state agency), we felt like we were the ones being red-tagged. We felt offended by the communication that we received from an agency of the government," he disclosed.

Garcia said they saw nothing wrong with the guideline, which implements the Supreme Court ruling against harassment and intimidation.

Anti-discrimination rules