By Aaron Recuenco
In enacted into law, the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Equality (SOGIE) bill would only open the floodgates for a lot of persons and groups to demand legislation even for the most ridiculous anti-discrimination rights.
Gen. Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP)
(KEVIN TRISTAN ESPIRITU / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
For instance, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said bald people like him may also seek for a passage of a bill that would protect them from being ridiculed, and for the people who would subject them to jokes to be penalized.
“We are all protected by no less than the Constitution. The Constitution provides ample protection, we have laws already, that protects our individual rights and privacy,” said Albayalde when asked to comment on the controversial SOGIE bill.
“We cannot make laws that tailor-fit to a certain group, just to satisfy a certain individual. Otherwise, everybody will make laws,” he stressed.
Debates on the SOGIE bill sparked anew after transgender Gretchen Diez was prevented from using the ladies’ restroom at a mall in Cubao, Quezon City.
Diez took his smartphone and took video footage of how she was being prevented from using the restroom.
Various politicians supporting the SOGIE bill, as well as popular personalities who are members of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer) community, immediately came to the rescue of Diez, forcing the mall management to apologize and reportedly cost the janitress, who had the run-in with Diez, her job.
Following the Diez incident, a number of people, especially in the social media, had expressed opposition to the SOGIE bill, calling it as more of a demand for special treatment rather than an advocacy to protect certain rights.
Albayalde insinuated that the case of Diez was more of following basic laws.
“We do not discriminate but we have laws to follow, just the same that these people alam naman dapat nila kung saan sila pupunta at lulugar,” said Albayalde.
“The law says na kung may ganito ka doon ka, kapag wala ka doon ka talaga sa kabila hindi ba?,” he added, referring to sex organs.
He then cited what he called the wisdom behind what Sen. Nancy Binay was quoted as saying that since she was being discriminated against because of the dark color of her skin, then she should also file a bill that would protect her rights against those ridiculing her for her skin color.
“We really cannot see any wisdom on crafting a law just for that purpose alone. I don't think that we need that kind of law just for that purpose also, and just for those people alone,” said Albayalde.
Read more: Binay says anti-discrimination bill should cover everybody