Don’t use women to earn votes, smear candidates — IBP
Integrated Bar of the Philippinespine
MANILA, Philippines — Candidates should not use women should to earn votes or smear their rivals, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
“The IBP takes notice of photos and videos of scantily-clad women hired by candidates for public office to entertain the crowd in campaign sorties, of candidates cajoling women into sitting on the lap of male candidates, and so on, all for the purpose of gaining more votes,” the IBP said.
“The latest is the proliferation of fake pornographic videos and social media posts involving a candidate’s daughter, as well as past scandal involving a former president and an American actress. A woman’s body and sexuality must neither be used to earn more votes nor weaponized to smear a candidate,” it added.
Such moves could be the cause for legal action, the IBP said.
“We remind the candidates and the public in general that there are clear legal frameworks protecting women, including women in politics from all forms of discrimination and violence. There are also clear mandates for the State to take action and respond to these violations,” IBP noted.
The IBP mentioned the Magna Carta of Women and the Safe Spaces Act as laws that the government might tap.
“We call upon candidates in the current election to adopt a gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory campaign for public office and for political parties to adhere to gender-sensitive language and conduct during campaigns, and to promote the rights of women,” the statement said.
The IBP did not mention any incident in particular.
But recently, the daughter of Vice President Leni Robredo, Aika, was the target of fake posts about a supposed lewd video — which turned out to be nonexistent. Robredo and her supporters vowed to pursue legal action against those behind the issue.
On the other hand, an old controversy from 1970 resurfaced, one involving the late President Ferdinand Marcos and his rumored affair with American actress Dovie Beams.
Robredo and the son of the late president, former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are the top contenders in the presidential race in the May 9 elections.
On Tuesday, Robredo pinned the blame on the fake sex scandal of her daughter on Marcos Jr., saying that the candidate had been behind previous fake news attacks against her.
The Marcos camp denied the allegation, saying that Robredo was resorting to “gutter” politics.
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