UK ambassador performs gay marriage

MANILA, Philippines — The United Kingdom’s top diplomat yesterday officiated a same-sex marriage ceremony at the British embassy in Taguig.

“Amb @DanielPruce officiated a same sex marriage this morning at the @ukinphilippines garden. Best wishes to the newly weds,” the British embassy posted on Twitter.

Pruce tweeted: “Absolutely delighted to officiate the wedding of Faith and Jianni in the embassy this morning, Wishing them all the very best for the future.”

The same-sex marriage bill was passed by the Houses of Commons and Lords and gained Royal Assent or approved by the monarch in July 2013.

The bill came into force on March 13, 2014 and the first same sex marriages took place on March 29 of the same year.

In the Philippines, the Catholic Church opposes moves to legalize same-sex union in the country.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines urged devotees to shun attempts to institutionalize same-sex marriage and invoked the doctrine of faith in justifying the opposition.