Villanueva father, son raise concerns at House, Senate talks on Sogie bill

Cibac Rep. Eddie Villanueva and son Sen. Joel Villanueva. FILE PHOTOS

Update @ 11:50 p.m., Feb. 8, 2023

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Joel Villanueva and his father Cibac Rep. Eddie Villanueva attended the discussions of the Senate and House versions of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (Sogie) equality bill, both raising concerns during the separate proceedings.

At the Senate plenary session, Joel Villanueva said that he had received letters from religious groups regarding the passage of the bill because they were not consulted about it.

He then moved to refer the bill to the Senate committee on rules for further study instead of handing it to the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality.

READ: Concern of religious groups sets back Sogie bill in Senate 

Meanwhile, at the House, the elder Villanueva disrupted the hearing of eight Sogie equality bills, calling it “illegal” due to forum shopping. This forced Rep. Geraldine Roman, the chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality, to call a recess.

Despite Roman’s getting the go-signal from  Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, Villanueva still made a speech and left the hearing due to the “tyranny of the minority.”

READ: Villanueva halts House hearing on Sogie bills; calls it ‘illegal’ due to forum shopping 

Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan, who spoke as a resource person in the House hearing chaired by Roman, took to Twitter to express her frustration at the father and son.

“While Bro. Eddie tried to delay Sogie Equality Bill in the Congress, his son, Joel Villanueva is taking actions to kill for SOGIE Equality Bill in the Senate. The Bill is now referred to the Committee on Rules chaired by Sen. Joel. And for sure, he won’t make it a priority,” she said.

While Bro. Eddie tried to delay SOGIE Equality Bill in the Congress, his son, Joel Villanueva is taking actions to kill for SOGIE Equality Bill in the Senate.

The Bill is now referred to the Committee on Rules chaired by Sen. Joel. And for sure, he won’t make it a priority.

— Miss Mela Habijan (@missmelahabijan) February 8, 2023

Bahaghari chairperson Reyna Valmores also attended the House hearing, calling Villaueva’s disruption “a clear and malicious delaying tactic” on Twitter.

We are at the hearing of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality on SOGIE. Sa start palang, nag move na si Rep. Villanueva na “illegal” ang proceeding dahil mayroong Comprehensive ADB sa Committee on Human Rights. He is accusing us of “forum-shopping” and railroading the bill. pic.twitter.com/bL4EHkXEaV

— Reyna Valmores (@ReynaValmores) February 8, 2023

The Sogie Equality bill has been tackled by lawmakers for about 23 years after it was filed by late former Sen. Miriam Santiago in 2000. Variations of the bill have already made rounds in both the House and the Senate.

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Terrible misconceptions: Why we need the Sogie Equality Bill 

‘It’s already 2022:’ Senate panel approves SOGIESC equality bill

JPV