The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has rejected the bid of party-list group Ang Ladlad LGBT Party to join the 2010 national elections, reports GMANews.tv. According to the Comelec, the gay and lesbian party-list group’s petition is dismissible on “moral grounds.”
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“The definition (by Ang Ladlad) of the LGBT sector makes it crystal clear that petitioner tolerates immorality which offends religious beliefs,” says Comelec in an eight-page resolution. The group was previously denied registration in the 2007 elections, because they allegedly failed to show proof that they represent a “clear sector.”
Various passages in the Holy Bible and the Koran were cited by the poll body, which insist that romantic relationships should only be between men and women. It was also asserted that Ang Ladlad espouses sexual immorality, thus violating the Civil Code and the Revised Penal Code.
The Comelec said it is “not condemning” the LGBT community but “cannot compromise the well-being of a great number of people.”
Danton Remoto, National Chairperson of Ang Ladlad and is planning to run for Senator in 2010, says in his blog,” This is a decision of painfully old men with painfully obsolete ideas on homosexuality. We are in the 21st century already, we are fighting for human rights. They do not know what they are talking about.”
Remoto further said that the Comelec ruling is offensive to the LGBT community and an insult to their human rights. He also questioned the Comelec’s decision based on moral and religious reasons but the Constitution provides for a separation between the Church and the State.
“Since when did the Comelec become a moral arbiter? The Comelec is a state institution, [it is] not the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.”
“The Comelec has no right to make decisions on morality because it is not a moral or religious institution. It is a political institution, and hence, should confine itself to politics,” Remoto said.
Unbelievable.
Do we live in Kazakhstan? No wait, they’re even more enlightened in Kazakhstan.
“The definition (by Ang Ladlad) of the LGBT sector makes it crystal clear that petitioner tolerates immorality which offends religious beliefs,”
How about religious beliefs tolerating inequality and promoting discriminatory practices? Tss… damn hypocrites and their immorality BS.
Comelec? Guardian of immorality?
Excuse me, Garci.
A high form of immorality is accepting bribes to make somebody win in an election.
A higher form of immorality is when the voice of the people is not heard because of election rigging.
The highest form of immorality is when the President calls the Comelec commisioner to follow up status of counting.
Shame on these hypocrites!
Furious with this! What a travesty. Haven’t seen the actual ruling but the article says the Comelec based their decision on the teaching of “Lehman Strauss.” Who the h*** is that? So I googled the guy and he happens to be an Old Testament scholar. How freakin’ anachronistic can they get???
I was born and raised Catholic. But as I get older, I continue to look at the Catholic Church and our government officials who kowtow to so-called Christian morals, with growing disdain.
Nakakasuka ang COMELEC!
Now, they are more popish than the pope.
The supporting statements made them the Philippines’ new version of the Council of Trent, the Knights of the Ayatollah, or the Vatican Council.
Let us start a crusade for a lifestyle check of ALL COMELEC Commissioners and let us see who are the IMMORALS.
To those disillusioned with the Catholic Church and its inability to cope with modern-day reality and the need for human rights:
http://rationalhero.com/category/oplan-pepe/
Hypocrites. Their rejection of the application is already a denouncement.
Saktong ungas talaga ang COMELEC. Ang pangit ng service nila sa registration for 2010 elections and now THIS shit comes up?
Wala sa interes ng COMELEC ang trip ng mga bakla. Trip nilang bumuo ng party at ilaban sa election? GO!