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Women hail Comelec ruling to unseat Fr. Cayat

BAGUIO CITY (Nov. 10) — The militant women’s group Innabuyog-Gabriela hailed the recent development involving the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to unseat Buguias Mayor Fr. Nardo Cayat.

According to the Comelec’s First Division, Cayat’s proclamation as mayor last June was void ab initio or void from the very start given a resolution disqualifying him from running in the elections after pleading guilty to forcible acts of lasciviousness in October 3, 2003.

Cayat however applied for probation. After applying for probation, he filed his certificate of candidacy with Comelec for the mayoral position for Buguias, Benguet.

Innabuyog said the Comelec decision is a victory both for the victim-survivor who persisted with the case and the women’s movement that already questioned Cayat’s candidacy in January this year.

Void ab initio

On April 12 this year, the Comelec issued a resolution disqualifying Cayat’s certificate of candidacy for the May 10 elections.

Cayat, in turn, filed a motion for reconsideration. The decision on his motion came out on May 10, reiterating his disqualification. It, however, was not implemented because the Comelec was already busy with the ongoing elections then.

Comelec-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) officials also said that the Comelec in Buguias did not implement the order due to “threats” from Cayat’s supporters. Thus, they were forced to count votes for Cayat and declared him winner afterwards.

The Comelec will travel to Buguias on November 11 to proclaim Cayat’s opponent Thomas Palileng Sr. as the mayor.

Women against violence

“We reiterate our position that Cayat and all others who are guilty of acts of violence against women should not be allowed to occupy a public office as this power will make them even more vulnerable to commit such acts of abuse”, said Vernie Yocogan-Diano, Innabuyog secretary-general.

The women’s group called on Fr. Cayat to step down and start rebuilding his image.

Innabuyog hopes that this development will build courage among victims in pursuing their cases despite the slow process in the legal system. It also believes that the courage of women victims who have brought their case to the public have educated and demystified the concept that violence against women is a private matter and victims are to blame for the violence.

“The stories of women victims have made an advance in this advocacy and challenged institutions to become more sensitive to women’s issues” Yocogan-Diano said.

Bad news but challenge to women

In another development, Innabuyog is outraged over the decision of the Supreme Court on the case of Allyson Belagan, former regional director of then Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (DECS), who faced three counts of sexual harassment cases in 1994.

After 10 years of legal process, the Supreme Court ruled only with one year of suspension and not dismissal from service as ruled by lower courts. Belagan shall also receive all benefits from his 37 years of service in DECS.

Yocogan-Diano said the decision is painful and unjust for Belagan’s victims who had to wait for 10 years to know the verdict. Indeed, she added, it sends a bad message that men in power can evade sexual charges against them, but it also causes ire among women victims.

“In this case, women are urged further to muster their courage and together blow a whistle to signal the rage against violence committed to women by those in position,” Yocogan-Diano encouraged.# via NORDIS

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