EDITOR'S NOTE: Corrects attribution to "YouTube" instead of "the YouTube." To readers who pointed this out, our sincerest gratitude.
MANILA, Philippines—The gay community is up in arms over Msgr. Achilles Dakay's statement that a homosexual act was the root cause of the scandalous video of a rectal surgery in Cebu City that ended up on YouTube.
The patient who calls himself Danilo is seeking P1 million in moral damages and P5 million in exemplary damages.
"It's odd that the victim is being blamed for what happened," Jonas Bagas, secretary general of the Lesbian and Gay Legislative Advocacy Network (Lagablab), said Thursday at the Usapang Balita press forum.
Bagas said it was actually the Church that was partly to blame for reinforcing discrimination against gays in the country.
"Society looks down on gays and lesbians because the Church teaches that gay sex is abnormal. And this helps create the climate and stigma of discrimination," he said.
Bagas said gay sex was "a normal thing," and that even some priests bound by the vow of celibacy engaged in sex.
"It's impossible [to live without sex]," he said. "There are some priests who engage in sexual behavior. It's natural behavior."
Dakay, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Cebu, said over the Church-run Radio Veritas on Wednesday that the main issue in the scandal was the male patient's homosexual act, and not his mistreatment.
All about respect
Said Ging Cristobal of the Lesbians Advocates of the Philippines (LEAP): "If we ban gay sex, shouldn't we also ban heterosexual sex? The issue here is discrimination. Why are people wanting to turn our focus away from it?
"This is all about respect. This is nonnegotiable."
Cristobal said the patient had been receiving text messages on his mobile phone, warning him to "shut up."
She said the origin of the "threats" was unknown.
According to Bagas, the male patient was "raped" by the male prostitute whom he had contracted for sex, and his mistreatment in the hands of doctors and nurses smacked of discrimination.
"This is a clear case of discrimination against a gay patient," he said.
Bagas said that instead of blaming gays, the Church should find ways to end the discrimination against them.
Victim thrice over
He added: "Offhand, it would be good if the Church calls on the government to conduct mandatory human rights education for health professionals, especially those planning to work abroad."
Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casińo said the scandal should prod Congress to take a fresh look at the antidiscrimination bill that had been pending for years.
"He's a victim thrice over," the party-list lawmaker said of the patient. "First, [there was] the sexual abuse, then the abuse by doctors, and third, [his mistreatment because] he's an ordinary minimum-wage earner. Can you imagine if this gay is from Forbes Park? Would the doctors risk abusing him?"
Sanctions needed
Casińo observed that gays and lesbians were "not at the forefront" of the fight for the enactment of the bill against discrimination.
"It would be good if they come out and push for the bill," he said.
Iloilo Representatives Janette Garin and Ferjenel Biron, both physicians, said the use of cellular phones during operations should be regulated.
"You're allowed to carry cell phones with the consent of the patient. Obviously, there was no consent in this case; he was defenseless. And we know exactly the motive: Simply to humiliate," Biron said.
Garin said the incident "might not be an isolated [case]."
"Why did it happen? Is it because society is tolerating it? Is the law too lax?" she said, adding:
"A strong Medical Act should be passed with powers to sanction members [of the medical profession]."
