By Leslie Ann Aquino A Catholic priest has expressed concern over the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression (SOGIE) bill currently pending in Senate. Fr. Jerome Secillano
(CBCP / MANILA BULLETIN) Father Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Public Affairs Committee, said while the bill appears to be a noble form of legislation its contents say otherwise. “The SOGIE bill appears to be a noble form of legislation as it is presumably against discrimination and advocates equality,” he said in an interview. “But its contents say otherwise,” added Secillano. The CBCP official said the bill also gives premium on the so-called “rights” of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community that can potentially harm the natural order of things in the society and “wreak havoc” on our more established societal norms and culture. Secillano believes that to say that they are claiming a “right” is incorrect as they are requesting for a special privilege. “It's not correct to say that they are claiming a right,” he said. “It is more accurate to say that they are requesting for a special privilege, a favor that can either be given or rejected depending on whether it can be good for society as a whole or destroy the same in the process,” added Secillano. On Tuesday, President Duterte said that he would certify the SOGIE bill as urgent. But Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo later clarified that Duterte was to the Anti-Discrimination bill and not the SOGIE bill.