Senatorial candidate Joel Villanueva has reiterated that he supports giving rights to LGBT couples, even though he also stressed his opposition for marriage equality.
Earlier interviewed by Bilang Pilipino 2016, Villanueva said that “para ho sa akin ang issue ng same-sex marriage is because of the fact na merong discrimination at merong mga panuntunan and ating batas na kung saan ay hindi binibigyan ng karampatang pagkilala yung mag-partner o magkasama na the same ang kanilang sex (the issue of same-sex marriage has to do with the fact that there is discrimination and there are mandates that fail to recognize the rights of same-sex partners).”
Villanueva, however, stated that he is not for marriage equality.
“Hindi po ako naniniwala na marriage ang solution dito (I do not believe marriage is the solution here) because marriage is a church matter. I believe it’s a sacred matter, and let us leave it to the church.”
For Villanueva, it’s the State that “should do something in order for us to ensure na meron pong pagkilala, tamang pagkilala sa karapatan ng ating mga kababayan. Karapatang mag-may-ari, karapatan na pag-share ng pag-aari, ng lupa, ng bahay, o ng anuman puwede nila pag-share-an (that there’s recognition, recognition of the rights of our fellow Filipinos to own and share properties, lots, homes or whatever they can share). Pero (But) when it comes to marriage, let us leave it to the church.”
6 senatoriables on same-sex marriageWe asked Edu Manzano, Allan Montaño, former Senator Panfilo Lacson, former Interior Secretary Raffy Alunan, former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director-general Joel Villanueva, and Valenzuela City 1st District Representative Sherwin Gatchalian about their thoughts on same-sex marriage. #BilangPilipino
Posted by Bilang Pilipino on Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Interviewed again by ANC, Villanueva stressed his position supporting “separate but equal”.
“Marriage is a sacred sacrament,” he said, though he again added that the rights of couples should be given as “these are human rights. But if you go further… do not use the word ‘marriage’.”
Villanueva is the son of Jesus Is Lord Church founder Bro. Eddie Villanueva; and was a former director-general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
