Roman slams initial exclusion of SOGIE in draft 'comprehensive' anti-discrimination bill

Bataan Representative Geraldine Roman on Thursday slammed the initial exclusion of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE) in the draft of the proposed comprehensive anti-discrimination bill.

During the meeting of the technical working group (TWG) of the Committee on Human Rights to discuss the proposal, Roman, herself a trans woman and an advocate for LGBT rights, pointed out that the deletion of SOGIE in the working draft of the bill was not agreed upon during their previous meeting.

The measure was supposed to prohibit acts of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion or belief, sex, gender, language, disability, HIV status, educational attainment, and SOGIE, but the latter was crossed out in the bill's latest draft.

"I reviewed the video recording of our meeting last time, and I cringed really. While watching the video, I cringed at the inconsistencies and the argumentation of the opponents of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression," Roman said.

"I really feel shamed because of the blatant disregard of the testimonies of human rights experts including the CHR as to the importance of SOGIE," she added.

Roman likewise criticized the attempt of some lawmakers to label and sell the measure as a "comprehensive" anti-discrimination bill when it selects only a few sectors of the society to protect.

"Kung hindi niyo kayang kilalanin na may mga taong may diverse SOGIEs na kinikilala naman ng napakaraming eksperto, huwag na lang natin itong tawagin na comprehensive anti-discrimination bill. Let's just call it a selective anti-discrimination bill," she said.

Conflict with SOGIE Equality Bill

Quezon City Representative Jesus "Bong" Suntay, who chairs the TWG, explained that the draft bill is a product of the inputs and positions given in the previous meeting by stakeholders.

He also pointed out that the inclusion of SOGIE in the comprehensive anti-discrimination bill will defeat the purpose of the SOGIE Equality Bill being deliberated in the Committee on Women and Gender Equality, which already covers the rights of the LGBT community.

"Hindi sa gusto natin alisin... but as you very well know, there is a separate bill which specifically tackles the rights of our LGBTQ community," Suntay said.

"Sana maintindihan nating lahat, if we want to go into specifics, there are also other bills that have been filed which tackle more specific rights to be protected," he added.

But Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante Jr. pointed out that SOGIE can already be included in the proposed comprehensive anti-discrimination bill so there would no longer be a need to discuss the SOGIE Equality Bill which, he said, is a class legislation that only caters to a specific group of people.

"Ibig sabihin itong anti-discrimination bill na ito, let's make this really encompassing including all sectors of the society where there is discrimination para hindi na tayo gumawa pa ng special bills for a special group of people," he said.

Abante asked Roman if she wanted to include sexual orientation or gender identify and expression in the bill, but the latter said both should be covered.

"If you were to ask me to pick or to choose, I really cannot because these are two different concepts. And in order for us to completely and effectively protect the LGBTQI, kailangan itong dalawang konsepto na ito," Roman told Abante.

Opposition

Despite the position of Abante on the matter, CIBAC party-list Representative Domingo Rivera, a pastor of the Jesus is Lord Church founded by fellow lawmaker Eddie Villanueva, maintained his opposition to the inclusion of SOGIE in the measure.

He pointed out that sex and gender would suffice as it already covers all orientations.

"Ang paniniwala namin, sa salitang sex, sa salitang gender, nakapaloob na ang lahat ng uri ng orientations. Walang orientations na hindi nakapaloob sa dalawang salita na ito," he said.

Rivera also said the Christian Coalition on Righteousness Justice and Truth, a conglomeration of faith groups, churches and denominations in the country, is also opposed to the inclusion of SOGIE in the bill.

But Roman said that is the opinion of only one group, and that "no one can claim that they have the monopoly of truth in our Christian religion."

She also took a swipe at Rivera's claim that there are supposedly only 330,000 LGBT persons in the country as against the 110 million Filipino people.

"Human rights is not a popularity contest. Human rights is precisely there to defend the minority which is susceptible and prone to discrimination," Roman said.

In the end, the TWG agreed to retain SOGIE in the comprehensive anti-discrimination bill.

It also accepted Abante's proposal to also include "religious expression," defined as the teachings and preachings of church leaders whether or not it opposes the beliefs of others, as an additional prohibited ground for discrimination.

The draft substitute bill discussed by the TWG will then be submitted to the mother committee for its own deliberation and approval. —KBK, GMA News