Peter Unabia

Peter Mamawag Unabia (born April 29, 1962), also known as Sr. Pedro, is a Filipino businessman and politician. He most recently served as governor of Misamis Oriental from 2022 to 2025. He also previously served as the vice mayor of Gingoog from 2019 to 2022, and as the representative for Misamis Oriental's 1st district from 2010 to 2019.

Early life Unabia grew up in barrio Managok, Malaybalay, Bukidnon, the eighth of eleven children. His father, Graciano, was a rice farmer originally from Carcar, Cebu. The young Unabia helped the family by plowing their fields with a carabao. After graduating from San Isidro High School in Malaybalay, he earned a scholarship to attend Xavier University, a Jesuit school in Cagayan de Oro. After graduating from Xavier, he spent a year with the Jesuit Volunteer program in Oriental Mindoro, where as a rice technician, he taught Mangyans better methods of rice production.

Career Business Unabia worked as a salesman for a veterinary company for five years. Afterwards, he independently sold kitchen supplies such as salt, cooking oil, eggs, dressed chicken, and Spam products. Unabia's family also owns the Amaya View mountain resort in Cagayan de Oro.

Politics In the 2007 elections, Unabia won one of the five seats allocated for the 1st district in the Misamis Oriental Provincial Board. During the 15th Congress, he voted against the Reproductive Health Bill (now Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012). During the 17th Congress, he voted in favor of House Bill No. 4727 which aimed to reinstate capital punishment, and House Bill No. 8858 which aimed to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years old. Unabia considers his co-sponsoring of the Free Irrigation Act as his most important legislative work.

In 2022, Unabia was elected governor of Misamis Oriental, defeating Cagayan de Oro mayor Oscar Moreno and Misamis Oriental 2nd district representative Juliette Uy.

During his reelection campaign for the 2025 elections, Unabia was criticized for his remarks described as "hate speech" and "sexist" . He ended up losing his rematch with Juliette Uy.

Controversies In 2017, Unabia was accused of land grabbing by a couple from Cagayan de Oro, who alleged that he illegally fenced off a property they own in barangay Indahag. He countered the accusations by presenting a land title issued to him for the property in 2004. 1BANGSA, a coalition of Muslim leaders, described Unabia's words as "hatred and contempt" and demanded for his public apology as well as the following: a boycott of his businesses, his declaration as persona non grata in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, and a fatwa against his candidacy. Muslim leaders Mamintal Adiong Jr., the governor of neighboring Lanao del Sur, and Amenah Pangandaman, the Secretary of Budget and Management, both cautioned against divisive political rhetoric. Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro regional government called for "deeper mutual understanding and cultural sensitivity."

Unabia later issued a statement explaining that the viral video of his remarks was a "distorted version" blown "out of proportion" and "out of context" by his political rivals. He insisted that "It was never our intention to cause offense or to undermine … the Maranao people." He explained further that he was discussing a safety concern regarding the "arrival of unfamiliar individuals" to the province, which are "isolated incidents and must never be used to generalize or cast suspicion on an entire group." Unabia also held a meeting behind closed doors with Christian and Muslim leaders and a representative from the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos. The imams present reportedly accepted Unabia's apology. However, Alan Balang-Amer, the national president of 1BANGSA, claimed that the apology was "exclusive" for the Muslims in Cagayan de Oro, and asserted that "Unabia insulted the Muslims from the Bangsamoro, and it just right that he asked forgiveness from all of us." Unabia apologized to the nursing profession but reasoned that he made the joke to energize the audience who waited for four hours to hear him speak. He also called his critics "onion-skinned and overly sensitive."

On April 7, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) issued a show cause order requiring Unabia to explain why a complaint for election offense and/or a petition for disqualification should not be filed against him. According to COMELEC, Unabia's remarks may have violated the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines for the 2025 elections. 1BANGSA also filed a verified intervention before the COMELEC to support the show cause order. On April 28, COMELEC filed a petition to disqualify Unabia.