MANILA — The Commission on Elections on Friday, May 9, ordered Urdaneta City, Pangasinan’s Mayor Rammy Parayno and Vice Mayor Jimmy Parayno to explain the alleged ‘kissing auction’ during a campaign rally.

The Comelec Task Force on Safeguarding Against Fear and Exclusion in Elections' (Task Force SAFE) show cause order gave the two candidates three days to submit a written explanation on why they should not be subjected to an election offense and disqualification.

The order comes after the two Paraynos allegedly conducted a bidding war among officials to kiss an elderly woman from the crowd, with the bid reaching up to P5,000.

The Comelec Resolution No. 1116 notes that a candidate who commits bullying, including gender-based harassment, during the election period, is subject to an election offense

A 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," based on the resolution.

Anyone found guilty of an election offense will suffer 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, as per the Omnibus Election Code.

Comelec: Expect more disqualification cases, show-cause orders

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