Sotto doubts Pope's statement will change PH law on same-sex marriage
October 26, 2020 05:30 PM
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III believes the same-sex marriage law is unlikely to pass in the Philippines, despite Pope Francis' statement encouraging its legalization.
“Same-sex union is already being practiced here."
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III believes the same-sex marriage law is unlikely to pass in the Philippines, despite Pope Francis' statement encouraging its legalization.
In a recent documentary, Francesco, Pope Francis said, "Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They are children of God and have a right to a family... What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered."
The Philippines remains to be the only Christian nation in Asia with more than 86 percent of its population being Roman Catholic.
A devout Catholic himself, Sotto said “Same-sex union is already being practiced here and there is nothing we can do about it. Same-sex marriage is the one which is not acceptable to many religions and other sectors."
When asked whether the Pope's stance on the matter might influence Filipino lawmakers on crafting a law that legalizes same-sex marriages, Sotto simply replied, "I doubt it."
Despite the lack of legal recognition in the Philippines, same-sex unions are already being practiced. “It's just tolerated but not in the legal sense. We should leave it at that. Baka mapaginitan pa (It might spark controversies),” the Senate President added.
If such a bill would be proposed to Congress, Sotto suspects it "won't fly." He mentioned that if the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression) bill couldn't pass, then the legalization of same-sex marriage would have a tougher time.
“SOGIE lang, hindi makalusot, yun pa? (If SOGIE couldn't pass, how much more for this one?)” he said, in reference to the bill that remains unattended in the Senate. The earliest draft of the SOGIE bill dates back to 2000.
Sotto also noted that legalizing same-sex union would be contrary to Executive Order No. 209, or "Family Code" which states that marriage is a contract of permanent union between a man and woman.
According to the Senate President, “Same-sex union should be enough. It does not need a law."
