Philippine bishop: Same-sex marriage is against natural law

Same-sex marriage is against "natural law," Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz stressed on Thursday, amid jubilation of LGBT groups in the US and elsewhere in the world over the US Supreme Court's ruling favoring same-sex marriage.

In a phone-patch interview with Kara David on "News To Go," Cruz said natural law dictates that a union in marriage is only between a female and a male.

"Ang batas ng kalikasan po ay nagsabing ang [marraige] ay union. Ang ibig sabihin ng union, isang babae at isang lalaki, at hindi lamang nagsasama sa kaisipan at kalooban, kundi sa katawan din. At doon po sa union na iyon, doon lalabas ang mga bata, mga anak para magkaroon ng isang pamilya," he said.

"Iyan po ang natural law na 'di kayang baguhin ng human law," he added.

On Wednesday, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denied benefits to same-sex married couples, is unconstitutional.

However, Cruz said same-sex marriages will only be allowed in the Philippines if the Constitution is amended.

"Ganito lang po ang iniisip ko diyan, kapag ipinasa nila iyan [same-sex marriage bill], dapat baguhin nila ang Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas, sapagkat sa Konstitusyon nakalagay doon na ang kasal ay babae at lalaki," he said.

"Ganoon din po ang sinasang-ayunan ng Family Code of the Philippines, kailangan din pong baguhin iyon," he added.

Moreover, Cruz said same-sex marriage also goes against "divine law," as dictated by the Bible.

"Maliban sa natural law at human law, mayroon din tayong divine law. Ayon nga sa Banal na Kasulatan, ang nilalang ay si Eba at si Adan at hindi si Adan at si Adan, o si Eba at si Eba. Kung hindi, wala si Cain at si Abel," he said.

"Sorry po, ang same-sex marriage is against natural law, against human law, against divine law," he said.

But Cruz said members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community should still be respected.

"Igalang po natin ang miyembro ng third sex sapagkat sila po ay tao rin. Sila po ay gawa rin mismo ng Diyos," he said.

"Huwag po natin silang pagtawanan, huwag po natin silang yurakan, kahit na ang ginagawa nila ay masama, ang totoo po, kahit ang tunay na lalaki at babae ay marami ding ginagawang masama o mas masama pa," he added. — Amanda Fernandez /LBG/HS, GMA News