SAN JOSE, Antique – Various religious groups in the province made known their opposition to the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill.
Reverend Jeopanes Obligar Jr. of the Assembly of God, one of the organizers of the prayer rally at the Evelio B. Javier Park, said they believed there are provisions in Senate Bill 1271 and House Bill 4982 that are harmful to the freedom of religious expression, sanctity of marriage, way of life as a nation and the youth of the next generation.
“In the House Bill 4982, Section 4, especially the full preaching of God’s word will already be prohibited,” Obligar said.
He added as pastors of the different religious organizations, they could no longer preach what is in the Bible as God’s creation of Adam as male and Eve as female because it could discriminate, shame or insult the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ).
The proposed SOGIE law aims to protect members of the LGBTQ from discrimination.
Obligar said passing the SOGIE bill could gravely affect the way of life of the people in the Philippines, which is known as a Christian nation.
Pastor Spencer Kent Aguilar of God’s Love Ministry, a former transgender, said the SOGIE bill is being pushed by the LGBTQ because they feel they are being discriminated against.
“I also felt discrimination before because I wanted to use the female restroom,” Aguilar said.
He added that when he studied the Bible, he learned that God only created male and female, he then started to change his ways.
“Before, I used to spend much amount of money for me to be able to take female hormone,” Aguilar said.
His being a Bible reader, made him “realized” he does not have to struggle to become a woman for God’s creation is perfect.
Over a thousand pastors and religious people who joined the rally came from the municipalities of San Jose de Buenavista, Hamtic, Sibalom, San Remigio, and Tibiao belonging to the God’s Love Ministry, Assembly of God, Jesus is Lord Church, and the Evangelical churches.(With a report from PNA/PN)
