Hontiveros: Matagal na tayong pinagpapasensyahan ng mga LGBTQI

Senator Risa Hontiveros urged Wednesday her colleagues to immediately pass the proposed Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE), saying  bill following the incident where a transgender woman was prevented from using a female comfort room.

In a privilege speech, Hontiveros said the experience of Diez underscored the grave and urgent need for a SOGIE Equality bill.

"Matagal na tayong pinapagpasensyahan ng mga LGBTQI na mga anak, kapatid, kaibigan at kababayan natin dahil sa ating pagkukulang," she said.

“Panahon na para sabihin na hindi tayo papayag na may LGBTQI na poposasan, sasampalin, aalipustahin dahil sa kanilang kasarian,” Hontiveros added.

Three senators -- Leila de Lima, Bong Go and Imee Marcos -- expressed support for the bill.

“Buo po ang aking suporta sa pagpasa sa SOGIE Bill at sa ating katuwang sa pagsulong ng mga makabuluhang batas sa Senado na si Sen. Risa Hontiveros. Let’s all rally to support the passage of the SOGIE Equality Bill and let's work together in putting an end to any form of discrimination against the LGBT community,” De Lima said in a press statement.

She said the LGBT community does not need pity but a strong law that will give protection to their rights.

“Hangga’t hindi natin nabibigyan ng sapat na suporta ang ating LGBT community laban sa anumang uri ng pang-aabuso at diskriminasyon at walang sapat na impormasyon ang publiko ukol sa mga ganitong usapin, magpapatuloy lang po ang mga ganitong uri ng insidente,” De Lima said.

Marcos said is fully backs the SOGIE bill. 

In a press statement, Marcos said she filed Senate Bill 412 seeking to expand the list of punishable acts of discrimination against the LGBT community.

She said harassment of LGBT members by law enforcers is a punishable offense in the Senate bill, as well as refusal to admit a child in school due to a parent's or guardian's sexual orientation, preventing a child from exhibiting gender identity, denial of access to public services including military service, and exposing an LGBT member’s sexual orientation without prior consent.

If found guilty, offenders must pay a fine of not less than Php100,000 or face one to six years in jail.

Go said it is right to protect the welfare of country’s gender minorities who have contributed to development and nation building.

“As a country that prides itself for its diversity, it is our moral obligation to safeguard a culture of acceptance and inclusivity to ensure that our children and generations of Filipinos to come will live in a nation where they feel loved, cared for, and accepted,” he said.

Diez was handcuffed and brought to the police station after a janitress led her out of the female comfort room and insisted that she use the male's restroom. Diez recorded a video of the confrontation.

The janitress, identified as Chayra Ganal, later apologized through a written letter at the police station. The mall also withdrew its complaint against Diez, who was released on the same night.

The incident took place in spite of a Quezon City ordinance banning discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III sought clarification on what a transgender means as he asked if there is a need for a person to look a certain way before he would be allowed to use a certain comfort room.

Hontiveros said the spirit of the SOGIE bill is to follow the gender identity of a person.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, on the other hand, raised the danger of a voyeuristic person who will dress in a certain way just to enter a comfort room.

“What if a straight man who is simply voyeuristic enter a CR with an intention of seeing ladies. That’s dangerous,” he said.

Hontiveros said she partly agrees and share the concern of Lacson, but noted that many of those who have bad intention do not even bother to dress like a woman.

Pimentel said with the concerns raised by the senators, it is really time to discuss the SOGIE bill. —LDF, GMA News