SOGIE  bill won’t make it even if certified as urgent – Sotto

MANILA, Philippines – President Duterte might be referring to an anti-discrimination bill, and not exactly the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill,  which he said he would certify as urgent, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

“Alert: I am told the President is not certifying the SOGIE bill,” Sotto said in a Viber message to reporters on Wednesday.

“He is willing to certify an anti-discrimination bill sans LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) issues. A general anti-discrimination bill like the Davao ordinance,” he added.

On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte himself said he would certify the SOGIE bill as urgent.

“Yes, whatever would make the mechanism, what would make them happy. I want to be like Senator [Juan Ponce] Enrile: Gusto ko happy siya [I want her to be happy],”  the President said when asked about the bill.

“The SOGIE bill as is will not make it even if the President certifies the Hontiveros version,” Sotto said, referring to SOGIE bill advocate Senator  Risa Hontiveros

“Remember separation of powers?” he added.

Sotto explained that a bill certified as urgent would only mean that after its approval on second reading,   Congress could immediately proceed with the third reading approval without observing the three-day period.

“It does not mean the bill will pass. Did we pass the Death Penalty bill certified urgent last Congress? Did we pass Train 2 certified as urgent? You all know the answers,”   he pointed out. /gsg