MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte would give presidential certification to a “general” anti-discrimination bill, not to a proposed measure penalizing discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender expression, Malacañang said Wednesday.
LGBT Filipinos still face discrimination despite seemingly high tolerance in the predominantly Catholic Philippines, prompting some lawmakers to file a bill that would penalize discrimination based on a person’s SOGIE, or Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression.
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Duterte on Tuesday night said he will support any legislation against discrimination. He pointed out that Davao City, where he used to be mayor, has an anti-discrimination ordinance.
In an interview with CNN Philippines, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte was not referring to the SOGIE Equality Bill.
Panelo then echoed Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s argument, saying the lawmaker “correctly” pointed out that the SOGIE bill was “a class legislation” that could discriminate others.
“Dapat talagang general. Yun ang ayaw ni presidente kasi, 'pag nagdi-discriminate ka against a particular class (It should be general. That’s what the president hates, when you discriminate a particular class),” the Palace spokesperson said.
Presidential certification allows Congress to proceed with the third reading of the bill once the measure is approved on second reading without having to wait for at least three days in between as otherwise required by the Constitution.
While there are city ordinances that protect the rights of the gay community, activists have expressed concern that the absence of an anti-discrimination legislation for LGBTs and stiff opposition from religious groups and conservative senators could offset any progress made at the local level.
Sotto — a religious conservative — had said the SOGIE bill has no chance of passing the upper chamber, arguing that the proposed measure supposedly tramples upon women's rights, academic freedom and religious freedom.
Sen. Sonny Angara had filed a “comprehensive” anti-discrimination bill, which has been pending on the committee level. Sotto prefers Angara’s proposal, saying the SOGIE bill “is so concentrated on the G of the LGBT.”