In filing House Bill No. 5717, evangelical pastor Rep. Benny Abante (Manila, 6th District) pushes for the State to protect heterosexuals or straight people's right to freely practice their religion and express their views, particularly opinions concerning the LGBT community
From the get-go, Abante begins his explanatory note arguing that "God created man in his own image and created male and female only and gave the decree of procreation to a male and female only, [and] it is clear that God created only two genders." He went on to call the LGBTQ community a "detestable reality [that] was virtually unknown and unimaginable since time immemorial"
"If, therefore, we seek to ‘grant’ and/or ‘protect’ rights to homosexuals, bisexuals, transgenders and queers, in the spirit of justice, equity and fair play, we must also ‘grant’ and/or ‘protect’ rights to heterosexuals who are the actual and direct creations of God," he wrote
Abante also claims that it is the right of heterosexuals to "enjoy their religious profession and worship without interference or abridgement with the right to exclude therefrom others of different beliefs or faith" and "impose [these views] when running or operating their churches, businesses, schools or workplaces"
The bill penalizes any violations of those rights with imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of at least P100,000
The bill has since been referred to the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chaired by the transgender Rep. Geraldine Roman (Bataan, 1st District)[…]
The conservative lawmaker indicated opposition to the SOGIE Equality Bill once more in his latest bill, writing in its explanatory note: "Bills are now before us that smacks God’s laws and standards, particularly on creation, human dignity and morals. These Bills not only recognize, but worse, promote and give reward to ‘genders’ not created by God"
