Palace believes Philippines not yet ready for same sex marriage

June 21, 2018

Malacanang expressed belief on Thursday that the Philippines is not yet ready for same sex marriage.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said it is likely the Supreme Court will declare as unconstitutional the petition by the  lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community on same sex marriage.

"I believe that the Supreme Court and the country are not ready on this proposal of marriage among the same sex," he said, noting that even Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, a transgender, has expressed belief that it is not yet the time for the Philippines to have the same sex marriage.

He said this was why Roman has been pushing for the anti-discrimination bill or the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) bill, which aims to recognize at least the civil partnership between individuals of the same sex "because they know that it's too revolutionary perhaps to accept in our society the same sex marriage."

Roque said even President Rodrigo Duterte has a flip-flopping position about same sex marriage.

"And even the president has actually... changed his mind on it. There was a time he says that he was against it. There was a time he said he’s for it. So this is fluid and if I were asked as a public interest litigator, I would have waited," he said.

He also cited what Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen has said that "sometimes when you file test cases prematurely it will have the negative effect on the cause that you want to advance."

The high court has held oral arguments over same sex marriage. Celerina Monte/DMS