BAGUIO CITY – The city council last week transformed itself into a ‘grievance committee’ tasked to weigh arguments for or against rites purporting to be a ‘joining together’ of members of the same sex ‘in aid of legislation’.
On one side arguing the merits of same-sex monogamy were members of the local Metropolitan Community Church whose members are composed mostly of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders.
On the other side of the invisible ‘morality line’ were leaders and members of the Baguio-Benguet Ecumenical Group.
These, in the heels of the media-covered ‘same-sex unions’ administered by the MCC, June 25 in a temporary chapel which regularly functions as the Ayuyang Bar along Gov. Pack Road.
Decrying alleged discrimination by evangelical ministers and some members of the council against LGBTs, MCC same-sex union administering leader Myke Sotero averred the MCC ceremony was a mere avenue for its members to profess love.
At one point during the suspended session Sotero even punned, “We even tell them they could change their civil status only in the social networking site, Facebook” eliciting laughter in the gallery.
“In fact,” he said, “not all LGBT members are in same-sex unions and we never force them into it…. We even advice those who are already married they cannot have same-sex union as we respect marriages recognized by our laws.”
Speaking in Filipino he said, “Love is a basic human right which transcends even the laws of men and government.”
Despite similarities of the ‘rite’ he led with marriage conducted by orthodox evangelical ministries, he claimed there was no marriage but mere blessing of unions between people of the same sex.
“We know same sex marriage is not allowed under out laws. More, our ceremony does not have any legal consequences as in fact, we cannot even be granted marriage licenses in the first place.”
Baguio Pride Network spokesperson Carol Galvez reading a prepared statement meantime said, “Calling us mentally ill and abnormal is an affront to our dignity and can cause moral and emotional harm to LGBTs.”
“Homosexuality is not a disease as attested by the World Health Organization… We fear that [the pronouncements made by local religious leaders add to the] hate crimes, discrimination, homophobia and physical violence against us.”
Meantime, lawyer and realtor Alex Bangsoy speaking on behalf of BBEG clarified his group rejects all forms of discrimination against any persons regardless of sexual preference.
He however claimed members of the MCC cannot simply exercise rights in exclusion of others.
Holding up a picture of gay men in passionate chops encounter he protested, “Don’t I as a father of five children have the right to [ask prohibition] of pictures like this appearing in media? Don’t I have the right to protect my family from the pernicious effects of same sex unions?”
“We have rights in our religious belief that same sex marriages would call upon curses in the city… and I believe our rights, too, are being violated.”
Attacking the controversial kissing scene between two males he likened the publicity given the same similar to allowing an obscene publication being freely available.
Firm on his belief that unions are reserved for men and women and that such unions are inviolably the foundation of family life, he added, “The same sex union conducted by MCC insults the moral sensibilities of the residents of Baguio.”
“Almost all the elements of legal marriage conducted in churches and the Family Code are present in the [MCCs] holy union… even the exchange of rings is present so how can they deny that what they conducted is in fact ‘marriage’?”
Bangsoy meanwhile pointed out the LGBT union is a ploy conveniently engendering an imagined state of discrimination against LGBTs in order to pave the way for the passage of House Bill 1483 authored by Rep. Teddy Casino dubbed the anti-discrimination bill.
“The bill,” Bangsoy related, “seeks for equality of civil, political, and economic rights between and amongst LGBTs and heterosexuals.”
“It indirectly seeks to legalize same sex marriages as what equality in civil rights so entail,” he added.
Meantime, the council awaits submission of position papers from both sides as basis for possible local legislation.
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