PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has thumbed down same-sex marriages, contradicting the stance of one of his top allies, Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Duterte, who has lashed out against Catholic bishops and Catholic practices, this time invoked the country’s majority Catholic population in saying that same-sex marriages are unacceptable to Filipinos. Buhay party-list Rep. Jose Atienza backed up Duterte’s statements, saying that same-sex couples can share affection even without marriage. Alvarez has the support of the country’s first transgender lawmaker, Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, who believes same-sex couples, like heterosexual couples, are capable of raising children. Why don’t you mind your own business,” said Duterte, who frequently uses swear words and other abusive language against his critics.

Source: Manila Times March 20, 2017 17:03 UTC