Mangondato favors divorce, opposes abortion, same-sex marriage

Presidential candidate Faisal Mangondato on Wednesday said that he will push for the introduction of divorce in the Philippines but expressed opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage because they go against his Muslim values.

He believes divorce should be reserved for couples who have a "cancerous" relationship that is tearing their family apart.

“Ayon sa aking paniniwala, ang isang diborsyo ay ginagamit lamang ‘yan kapag naging cancer na ‘yung sakit sa isang pamilya. Kaya kailangan magkaron ng diborsyo para sa gayon, malaya ‘yung dalawa na magawa nila ‘yung gusto nilang gawin pero doon lang sa kapag malala na ‘yung problema,” he said at the Catholic E-Forum hosted by Radio Veritas.

(Divorce, in my opinion, should only be used when a family's problem has grown cancerous. A divorce is necessary so that spouses can do whatever they want, but only when the problem is serious.)

Last August, the House committee on population and family relations approved the bill seeking to introduce absolute divorce in the country.

Abortion, same-sex marriage

Meanwhile, Mangondato said he opposes abortion as it is against the teachings of Islam.

He stressed that the unborn child should not be punished. 

“Ang abortion ay isang pinagbabawal ng ating sinasambang Diyos na kapag ang tao ay nabuo ay buhayin, hindi patayin (Abortion is prohibited by our God, whom we worship. When a human being is created, he should be allowed to live rather than being killed),” the Katipunan ng Kamalayang Kayumanggi candidate said.

“Ang parusahan ‘yung gumawa ng kasalanan, hindi po ‘yung bata. Dapat ayon ‘yung gawing batas sa atin sa Kongreso (The sinner, not the child, should be punished. That is the legislation that Congress should pass),” he said.

Mangondato added that he has nothing against the LGBTQ+ community, but as a Muslim, he believes that same-sex marriage is against God’s will.

“Ako po ay hindi galit sa mga LGBT, pero ang paninindigan ko bilang isang Muslim na bawal sa aming relihiyon ang marriage ng parehong klase ng tao dahil nilalaan tayo ng Diyos na babae at lalake at sinabihan tayo ng ating Panginoon na magpakarami tayo,” he said.

(I am not angry with the LGBT people, but my position as a Muslim is that our religion forbids same-sex marriage since God created us for the opposite sex and instructed us to reproduce.)

However, he said he is willing to study the matter if such a measure is filed in Congress. 

“Bilang isang presidente, kung merong isusulong na ma-apruba sa Kongreso, pwede nating pagaralan. Kung ano makakabuti sa bansa natin, ay ‘yun ang magiging desisyon natin,” Mangondato said.

(As president, if there is a proposal to be approved by Congress, we can study it. We will decide on what is good for our country.) — VBL, GMA News