The spokesman of Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, Feb. 16, denied claims that the official expressed support for same-sex marriage in the Philippines.
“Vice President Sara Duterte did not say she supports same-sex marriage in the Philippines, as reported in a news article,” lawyer Reynold Munsayac, her spokesman, said in a statement.
He quoted Duterte’s speech during the 62nd mass wedding sponsored by Parañaque City 2nd District Rep. Gus Tambunting on Valentine’s Day.
“Marami pong (There are a lot of) gender ngayon na kinikilala ang ating (being recognized in our) society. Naisip ko, sana sa mga susunod na taon, ‘yung ibang (I’m thinking, hopefully in the coming years, the other) gender, katulad ng mga (like the) LGBTQI, ay mabigyan din sila ng proteksyon ng batas sa kani-kanilang lang mga (may be given protection by the law in their) partners at sa kanilang mga (and their) relationship,” she said.
READ: VP Duterte’s Valentine’s Day hopes: Protection of relationships among LGBTQ+ in PH
News reports on Wednesday, Feb. 15, alluded Duterte’s statement to an expression of support for same-sex marriage, an issue that has polarizing effects in a deeply devout society where majority are practicing Christians.
These remarks came as members of the Senate—specifically Senators Joel Villanueva and Risa Hontiveros—expressed different views on the contentious Anti-Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) bill, with Villanueva sending the bill to the powerful Committee on Rules that he heads.
Villanueva attacked the bill for what he said was the “bottomline” of eventually allowing same-sex marriage, which he said would destroy families and violate the country’s laws.
However, advocates for the SOGIE bill under Committee Report No. 15 mentioned that the bill seeks to prohibit discrimination based on one’s sexual orientation.