Supreme Court urged to impose sanctions on Pasig congressional bet over solo parent 'joke'
MANILA, Philippines — Women’s rights group Gabriela urged the Supreme Court to take action against a Pasig congressional candidate over his "misogynistic" remark.
In a three-page letter sent to the high court on Monday, April 7, Gabriela called for disciplinary action against lawyer Christian Sia for his comment about solo parents during a caucus on April 3.
“We are aware that complaints against members of the bar require certain rules and procedure. However, we believe that the Supreme Court may motu proprio act on the matter as it has the power to regulate the admission to and the practice of law under Section 5(5), Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution,” Gabriela’s letter read.
Citing Canon II of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), Gabriela said that lawyers like Sia shall “maintain a dignified conduct” and is prohibited from engaging “in conduct that adversely reflects on one’s fitness to practice law, nor behave in a scandalous manner, whether in public or private life, to discredit the legal profession.”
They also mentioned that the CPRA prohibits lawyers "from engaging in any gender-based harassment or discrimination” and from using "language which is abusive, intemperate, offensive or otherwise improper, oral or written, and whether made through traditional or electronic means, including all forms or types of mass or social media.
“Victims come to court because they have laws that protect them and because they believe that the courts are safe spaces for victims like them. They have hopes that lawyers - whether for or against their side - will not only understand their trauma and pain but will treat them with the respect and dignity that every human being is entitled to,” Gabriela’s letter to the Supreme Court read.
“With Atty. Sia, there will be no safe space for women - whether in or outside the courtroom,” it added.
On April 4, the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) Task Force SAFE asked Sia to explain his remarks, citing possible violations of Comelec Resolution 11116's Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines, which prohibit gender-based harassment during elections.
Appropriate action. The disciplinary action requested by Gabriela may vary depending on the court’s discretion, possibly taking the form of a warning, fine, or suspension from the practice of law for a specified period.
A worse case scenario would be a disbarment, a penalty which the Supreme Court said is reserved for “the most serious ethical transgressions of members of the Bar.”
What happened before. On April 3, Sia, during a caucus in Pasig City, uttered remarks saying that women “solo parents” should sleep with him. He also said this was a "joke."
His remarks received flak from groups and individuals, which prompted him to issue a public apology the following day.
However, instead of fully taking responsibility for the act, he blamed the uploader of the video.
Gabriela said that Sia's apology lacked genuine sincerity and appeared to be an afterthought intended to address the public outcry and backlash he had caused.
“We find Atty. Sia's action appalling and reprehensible. It reeks of misogyny and sexism. It is an attack against the dignity of every woman and a clear disrespect for the pain and struggle every woman solo parent endure day to day,” Gabriela said.
Sia has yet to respond to Philstar.com's request for comment on Gabriela's filing.
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