Jimenez: Candidates must not tolerate supporters who make fun of PWDs

Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Individuals seeking public office must not tolerate their supporters who make fun of persons with disabilities, Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said Thursday.

READ: ‘No to exclusion’: Aspiring senator pushes for better welfare for PWDs

“[Candidates] must also set the example by not tolerating supporters who make fun of persons with disabilities, or do so [themselves],” he said on social media site Twitter.

And must also set the example by not tolerating supporters who make fun of persons with disabilities, or do so thenselves. #votesafepilipinas https://t.co/YP9NfGbJoX

— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) April 14, 2022

Jimenez’s post was in response to an article about the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ (IBP) statement that bets must ensure that laws protecting women should be upheld.

The IBP told hopefuls to not use women to earn votes and smear their contenders.

The IBP noted that “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 group likewise raised the proliferation of fake pornographic video of a hopeful’s daughter.

Recently, links to a fake sex video of Aika Robredo, Vice President Leni Robredo’s daughter, were circulating on social media.

The vice president’s camp tagged the move as a “malicious fabrication” as it aims to distract her supporters as she is vying for the country’s highest post.

JPV