House probe sought into denial of ‘KaladKaren Davila,’ pals of entry into Makati bar

A House resolution was filed on Tuesday seeking an investigation into the supposedly discriminatory act of denying celebrity impersonator Jervi Li, also known as "KaladKaren Davila," and her group entry into a Makati City bar due to their sexual orientation.

In House Resolution 2094, Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman directed the Committee on Women and Gender Inequality to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation into the incident.

A video posted on social media by Li herself showed a bouncer of H&J Sports Bar and Restaurant in Poblacion, Makati City denying her and her friends entry into the establishment.

The video shows the bouncer categorically answering "bakla" (gay) when asked who was barred from entering the building, but said he was only following orders.

"The malicious refusal of the establishment for Jervi Li and company to enter the premises on the ground of being 'bakla' is an affront to all the members of the LGBT community who are already suffering from discrimination by society," Roman said in the resolution.

"While Jervi Li and company were lawfully exercising their constitutionally-granted freedom of choice, H&J Sports Bar and Restaurant unlawfully barred their entry to said establishment on the sole basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression," she added.

Roman also said that while businesses are allowed to implement their own set of policies, these should not contravene the Constitution.

"[This incident] highlights the systemic discrimination that transgender Filipinos face which embrace not only in getting access to public accommodations such as restaurants and bars but also to education, employment and social services," she said.

"[It] underscores the need to have meaningful laws in place which address the general public's lack of knowledge regarding our LGBT brothers and sisters," she added. — MDM, GMA News