LGBTQIA organization Bahaghari slammed Sen. Joel Villanueva for stating that the SOGIESC Equality Bill is “not a priority”, even claiming that the religious senator “sabotaged the advancement of the SOGIESC Equality Bill after it garnered majority recommendation.”
“Let’s set the facts straight for Sen. Villanueva: the SOGIE Equality Bill has already received approval at the Committee on Women and Gender Equality. Nineteen (19) senators — the majority — have signed the bill for recommendation. But who blocked its advancement? No one else but Sen. Villanueva, who remanded the bill into a different committee of which he is the chair,” said Reyna Valmores, Bahaghari’s chairperson. “Naglolokohan lang tayo. Villanueva sabotaged the advancement of the SOGIE bill after it garnered majority recommendation, and now he acts as though there is no support for it? That is idiotic and facetious, even for a Villanueva.”
Valmores added: “May we also point out that with the SOGIE Bill now remanded and under virtual full control of Sen. Villanueva, to our knowledge, he has still refused to call for any meeting to tackle the proposed law so that it may move forward,” continued Valmores.
Bahaghari thereby urge LGBTQIA advocates and allies “to join us in highlighting the concerns of LGBTQIA Filipinos, and to pressure and expose the lies of Sen. Villanueva as well as the Marcos supermajority both in the Lower House and the Senate who have remained mum in seriously prioritizing a law as important as anti-discrimination policy. This Pride month, let us strengthen our fight for equality by bolstering our call for the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill”.
