SC dismisses with finality petition to legalize same-sex marriage

January 7, 2020

The Supreme Court has junked with finality the appeal of lawyer Jesus Falcis and other LGBT advocates seeking recognition of same-sex marriage in the Philippines.

In single-page en banc resolution, the SC denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Falcis and other petitioners seeking to overturn the high court’s earlier decision dismissing their petition for lack of legal standing and failure to raise an actual justiciable issue and violation of the doctrine of hierarchy of courts.

"The Court resolved to deny with finality the said motion for reconsideration as no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision," the High Court, said in a notice sent to reporters on Monday, January 6.

The SC through Associate Justice Marvic Leonen ruled that the Constitution does not define or restrict marriage on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.

In a media briefer, the high court recognized the history of discrimination and marginalization faced by the lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender, queer, intersex, and other gender and sexual minorities (LGBTQI+) and their struggle for equality but said official recognition of their partnerships should be addressed to Congress. DMS