House Independent Bloc leader Rep. Martin Romualdez has said he respects the rights of the proponents of same-sex marriage to legalize their highly controversial proposal in the country, adding there is nothing wrong in starting serious discussions on the matter.
“I respect the rights of everyone and our fellow human being. At least for now, let the debates begin [on same sex-marriage]” Romualdez, a senatorial aspirant, responded to the query of one of the students who attended the Rappler’s “The Leader I Want” forum held at the De La Salle University in Manila.
On same same-sex marriage issue, Romualdez, a shared-senatorial candidate of Vice President Jejomar Binay and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who are both running for president, said the main consideration is the fact that Philippines is predominantly a Roman Catholic country which is vehemently opposing same-sex marriage.
“We are a Catholic country and we are a Catholic school [De La Salle University] and so we have that sensitivity [against same-sex marriage],” Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, said, stressing that Filipino culture is still not prepared for same-sex marriage.
The forum was also attended by two other senatorial candidates, House deputy minority leader and Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares and lawyer Lorna Kapunan who are both running under independent presidential and vice presidential candidates, Senators Grace Poe and Chiz Escudero, respectively.
Romualdez, a third termer lawmaker, said he believes in the freedom of the people especially members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community to choose who they will love and to be with for the rest of their lives.
Kapunan and Colmenares, both lawyers like Romualdez, backed the Leyte lawmaker’s position for the concerned institutions like Congress to seriously deliberate on the matter to determine the pros and cons of allowing same-sex marriage in the country.
“Let the debates begin. Let us start discussing same-sex marriage,” Kapunan said. “I will tell you to defend your right to a same-sex marriage.”
Colmenares, for his part, said Congress should determine how the proposal will work in the country by debating the proposal, adding that discrimination becomes a main issue on same-sex marriage.
Colmenares authors House Bill 1842 or the Anti-Discrimination Act of 2013 seeking to eliminate all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity—a measure that is backed by Romualdez.