Right after the May 2025 elections, two narratives were “pushed” by supposedly LGBTQIA+ “leaders” and “allies”. I am putting those words – that carry lots of weight for those fighting for the human rights of LGBTQIA+ people – because these narratives seem to belie their claim that they are for the LGBTQIA+ community, advocating, instead, for us to relegate our issues to what they (thinking they know better than us) think are “more important issues” than our quest to be treated as equal of everyone.
The narratives:
- That much-loved and never-called out Leni Robredo was “right” when she endorsed Manny Pacquiao who, infamously, said that we’re “masahol pa sa hayop (worse than animals)” because, had Manny won, it could have kicked Camille Villar and Imee Marcos out of the winning circle; and
- That we may not always agree with Benny Abante, but we should be thankful for him for (particularly recently) his efforts re pro-Duterte online personalities that, in the end, dealt with the power of the Dutertes in this country.
Let’s call these two BS.
Yung unang punto, wanting for a politician who hates us win because we supposedly hate even more the persons he could have beaten is idiotic. You are, basically, giving us two false choices. Because choosing a wrong over a wrong = wrong. Kaya – let’s not play with words na – if you think Leni’s “strategy” to endorse Manny was “intelligent”, or that it “made sense” as a way to beat Villar or Marcos, then, in a word, enabler ka.
As an enabler, bahagi ka ng problema that perpetuate yung bulok na sistema. Now, just because we don’t agree with your “logic”, stop attacking us, tantanan nyo kami. Because there are still people like us who think that if we supported anyone at all, hindi dapat yung compromised.
Ang ikalawang punto, matagal nang balakid sa passage of the anti-discrimination bill (in its various forms) si Abante. Check THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS and THIS… among others. But Google nyo na rin lang ang name niya and his “relationship” sa SOGIE Equality Bill, so you’d see what I mean. So now his reelection bid as congressman failed, and yet may nakita ako na “ally” na deadma na sa past niya, and nagpapasalamat sa kanya for what he recently did re popular DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporters) online personalities. Ambilis namang makalimot sa years of opposing for the protection of LGBTQIA+ human rights. Alam nyo bang if you read about the more-than-20-year history of the failure to pass anti-discrimination bill in the Philippines, Abante’s name’s always mentioned? So… ewan about being thankful… kahit anong moves pa ang gawin.
So no… I, personally, am not sorry Manny lost. Even if it meant others won; and even if those others are not your “ideal” politicians. He shouldn’t be running in the first place. Kaya puwede ba, yang choosing the lesser evil should be stopped na. If – instead of forcing us to obey you – you all voted for the “right” candidates (not Manny, not Camille, not Imee), then none of us will be forced to put up with the “lesser evil” na.
And no… I, personally, am glad Abante’s out, particularly if it helps in the fight for LGBTQIA+ human rights. May Villanuevas pa, and bumalik pa si Sotto sa senado, and I’m sure may mag-e-emerge pa na balakid sa karapatang pantao natin. But when politicians like Pacquiao, Abante or others who do not see us LGBTQIA+ people as equals lose their seats… do not begrudge us for not being sad.
