Duterte won’t certify SOGIE bill as urgent – Panelo

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte will not certify as urgent the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“Actually what he meant was an anti-discrimination law or bill, not the SOGIE bill. Not that one,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in an interview on CNN Philippines’ The Source.

“He was referring— In fact he said, ‘I have that, we have that in Davao.’ So he was really, specifically referring to that Anti-Discrimination Law in Davao,” Panelo added.

He said the Anti-Discrimination Law in Davao “refers to all.”

“You cannot discriminate the handicapped, special children, the third gender, everyone,” he said.

Panelo issued the clarification after Duterte told reporters in Malacañang that he would certify the SOGIE bill as urgent.

READ: Duterte will certify SOGIE Bill as urgent

Asked categorically if he would certify the bill as urgent, he replied: “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].”

Panelo, however, said the President would certify as urgent an anti-discrimination bill, and not the SOGIE bill.

“You cannot legislate for a particular class only.  You are discriminating,” he said.

The Palace official said Duterte wanted a law for all.

“It must be general. That’s what the President doesn’t like, when you discriminate against a particular class,” he said.

He said the anti-discrimination bill would be “an enlarged version of whatever bill you have in mind,” including the LGBTQIA+ community.

“He (Duterte) is outraged by any form of discrimination against any particular class or person,” he said,

Asked if the President would issue an executive order for a third restroom, Panelo said: “ None that I know of at this time. I will ask him.” /gsg