PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde said on Tuesday, September 10, that he does not see the need to have a law that will protect the rights of the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender-Transsexual-Queer (LGBTTQ) community.
“We are all protected by no less than our Constitution. The Constitution provides ample protection for everyone already and we have laws already that protect our individual rights and privacy,” he said in a press conference in Camp Crame.
“Ang sa akin lang pong take dyan is we cannot make laws that is tailor fit to a certain group lang. Let us not make laws just to satisfy a cetain person, a certain individual or a certain group. Otherwise everybody will have their own laws,” he added.
Albayalde said if the Sogie bill will be enacted into law, it would only make an impression on a lot of persons and groups that they can also demand legislation even for the most ridiculous anti-discrimination "rights".
He cited for example that bald people like him or people with dark complexion may also seek the passage of a bill that would protect them from embarrassment and penalize those who joke about their appearance.
Debates on the Sogie bill erupted anew after a member of the LGBTQ, Gretchen Diez, was prevented from using a women’s rest room in a mall in Cubao, Quezon City.
Various politicians supporting the Sogie bill, as well as popular personalities who are members of the LGBTQ community, immediately came to the rescue which forced the mall management to apologize.
However, following the said incident, a number of people including LGBTTQ members expressed opposition particularly through the social media, calling it as more of a demand for special treatment rather than fighting for their rights.
Albayalde insinuated that the case of Diez is more of following basic laws.
“We do not discriminate but we have laws to follow, just the same that these people alam naman dapat nila kung saan sila pupunta at lulugar. The law says na kung may ganito ka doon ka, kapag wala ka doon ka talaga sa kabila hindi ba?” Albayalde, referring to sex organs.
“We really cannot see any wisdom on crafting a law just for that purpose alone. I don't think that we need that kind of law just for that purpose also and just for those people alone,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)