Rep. Roman likens SOGIE haters to trolls
You're acting like trolls!
Bataan 1st district Rep. Geraldine Roman had this to say Wednesday to those who posted comments on the House of Representatives' Facebook livestream of a panel hearing concerning the 16 proposed sexual orientation or gender identity or expression (SOGIE) equality bills.
"It hurts me as a Catholic to see comments on FB live that the SOGIE equality bill is anti-family," said Roman, who is one of the authors of the controversial measure.
"This bill will not redefine what a family is. So to those who accuse this very positive and welcome legislative measure as anti-family, mag hunos-dili kayo. Basahin niyo ang bill instead of just repeating like a mantra--para kayong mga trolls--na ito ay anti-family (get a hold of yourselves. Read the bill instead of just repeating like a mantra--you're acting like trolls--that this is anti-family)," she said.
The bills were still being discussed by the Committee on Women and Gender Equality as of this posting. Bukidnon 1st district Rep. Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba chairs the panel.
Roman also clarified in her manifestation that the SOGIE equality bill is, at its core, an anti-discrimination bill.
"It is not a same sex marriage bill. Uulitin ko (I repeat): It is not a same sex marriage bill. It is not a gender recognition bill that will allow us to change our legal character. That's a totally different issue. This is not about civil union or civil partnership," she said.
"Malinaw po na sinabi ng ating mahal na Santo Papa Francisco (Clearly, our beloved Pope Francis said) that LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) people deserve to have families and to be in families, and that they shouldn't be shunned away or ostracized or marginalized," the Bataan solon said, referring to statements fof the Pope last month calling homosexual people "children of God."
"Bahagi rin po kami ng pamilya, bahagi rin po kami ng lipunan (We're also part of the family and part of society)," added Roman, who is a vice chairperson of the panel.
Philippine lawmakers have been pursuing a SOGIE equality Act since the 11th Congress, or for more than 20 years now.
It was passed unanimously (197-0) for the first time on third and final reading in the House during the previous 17th Congress. Its passage, however, was stalled in the Senate.