Iboboto ko na s'ya. I will vote for him now (well, I mean on the May 14 elections).
This morning, on my way to work, the radio was tuned in to the radio program of Joe Taruc, and he was interviewing Senator Joker Arroyo who is aspiring to be reelected to the Philippine Senate. Among other things that he was saying, what caught my attention (alright, I was already listening intently...) was his opinion on the refusal of the COMELEC to grant Ang Ladlad's petition for accreditation as a candidate in the party list elections for the House of Representatives. He said that the COMELEC should reconsider its decision to junk the petition of Ang Ladlad. He said that the party list system was created in order to give the marginalized sectors an opportunity to participate in lawmaking. Ang Ladlad represents Filipino gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgenders, and the LGBT sector is undoubtedly marginalized. He also said that Prof. Danton Remoto, the head of Ang Ladlad, is an intellectual, being a professor in a leading university in the country, and has a potential of being a good lawmaker.
I have long been wanting to find time to write my opinion about COMELEC's refusal to accredit Ang Ladlad. I will try to write it when I have more time, but allow me to say that I'm saddened by Ang Ladlad's non-accreditation simply because it allegedly failed to prove national membership, among other reasons. I will have to read more about this matter so that I can write an informed opinion. But in the case of the LGBT community, whose members may or may not be out of the closet but undoubtedly scattered all around the country, do we really need to prove national membership?
I hope the Party List Law can be interpreted as allowing national representation as sufficient compliance with the requirement of national membership.
For now, I would just hold on to the hope that Senator Arroyo gets reelected and that he makes it one of his causes to fight for the rights of the LGBT community, just as he fought for other human rights.
It would have been better if the COMELEC had not disqualified Remoto's candidacy for Senator, on the ground that he is a nuisance candidate. I think he would have had a good chance of making it to the Senate.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Can Joker Arroyo Give Hope to the LGBT Community?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
maybe he's doing this just to increase his ratings...
or does he have a hidden agenda?
Anyway, i'll still not vote for Chiz. Promise. Bobo sha. BOBO! lol. =)
what ever his agenda is, his position in favor of the LGBT community says it all. We have to support as many people in the government who has a clear position in re: GLBT cause. It is high time that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gendered sector of society must unite to further the much needed protection that we've been asking for ages here in the Philippines.
Until now, we still lack laws that must protect our rights as tax payers. And unless there is a clear stand among us queer folks, they (the government) will not take us seriously.
thanks for visiting my page ian, ill add you in my blogroll.
thats right VOTE LADLAD. then be careful not to vote for those party lists which are in truth faith based initiatives. they are against homosexual rights for equality.
just read ds late, so was sen joker arroyo re-elected, tyt (im not upadted w current events sori pero alam ko pasok sya).
i was sadden with what cOMELEC did to Ang LADLAD...
@josh
yes, i think joker arroyo made it. about Ang Ladlad, it's really sad that they were denied participation in the party list elections.
Post a Comment