Anti-discrimination law should not meddle with ‘natural law’ — Buhay solon

Buhay Representative Lito Atienza. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Laws against discrimination should not meddle with “natural law,” a party-list lawmaker said Thursday.

While recognizing that no one should be discriminated against, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza Jr. pointed out that the SOGIE bill (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Gender Expression Equality Bill) does not only push anti-discrimination but has many “sub-agenda.”

“Ang paggamit ng toilet, sabay sabay tayo. May kinalaman ba sa discrimination ‘yun? Yung magsa-shower tayo sa mga shower rooms sabay sabay, pwede rin ba ‘yun?” Atienza asked during a press conference.

READ: Duterte won’t certify SOGIE bill as urgent – Panelo

“Ang gusto ng SOGIE bill, alisin ‘yung gender identification para wala nang segregation,” he added.

Atienza said a “greater majority” of women have already expressed their opposition against the SOGIE bill.

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

However, he said that if there is an anti-discrimination measure that will focus only on “discriminatory practices (that has) nothing to do with gender identification,” then many individuals, including him, would likely support it.

“Alisin natin lahat ‘yung mga pakikialam sa natural law. ‘Yung babae, babae yan, ‘yung lalaki, lalaki yan. ‘Wag na natin baguhin sa batas” the party-list lawmaker said.

“May mga bagay na hindi na dapat pinakikialaman pero pag ikaw nanakit ng sinumang Pilipino dahil lamang sa kanyang kasarian, eh dapat parusahan ka,” he added.

Atienza said he supports the move of President Rodrigo Duterte to rally behind an anti-discrimination bill, not the SOGIE bill.

In 2017, the House of Representatives approved on final reading the SOGIE Equality Bill, but its counterpart measure in the Senate only languished in the period of interpellations. /jpv