Villanueva father-son duo hinder Sogie bill hearings in House, Senate
Cibac Rep. Eddie Villanueva and son Sen. Joel Villanueva. FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Joel Villanueva and his father Cibac Rep. Eddie Villanueva attended the hearings of the House and Senate versions of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Expression (Sogie) equality bill, respectively delaying the hearing of the proposals.
Joel Villanueva brought up that he received letters from religious groups regarding the passage of the bill after they were not consulted about it.
ADVERTISEMENT
He then moved to defer the bill to the Senate committee on rules instead of handing it to the Senate committee on women, children, family relations, and gender equality.
READ: Concern of religious groups sets back Sogie bill in Senate
The elder Villanueva disrupted the House hearing of eight Sogie equality bills, calling it “illegal” due to forum shopping. This forced the chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality Rep. Geraldine Roman to call a recess.
Despite Roman getting the go-signal from Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, Villanueva still made a speech and left the hearing due to the “the tyranny of the minority.”
READ: Villanueva halts House hearing on Sogie bills; calls it ‘illegal’ due to forum shopping
Miss Trans Global 2020 Mela Habijan, who spoke as a resource person in the House hearing chaired by Roman, took to Twitter to express her frustration at the father and son.
“While Bro. Eddie tried to delay Sogie Equality Bill in the Congress, his son, Joel Villanueva is taking actions to kill for SOGIE Equality Bill in the Senate. The Bill is now referred to the Committee on Rules chaired by Sen. Joel. And for sure, he won’t make it a priority,” she said.
Bahaghari Chairperson Reyna Valmores also attended the House hearing, calling Villaueva’s disruption “a clear and malicious delaying tactic” on Twitter.
The Sogie Equality bill has been tackled by lawmakers for about 23 years after it was filed by late former senator Miriam Santiago in 2000. Variations of the bill have already made rounds in both the House and the Senate.
RELATED STORIES:
Terrible misconceptions: Why we need the Sogie Equality Bill
‘It’s already 2022:’ Senate panel approves SOGIESC equality bill
JPV
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.
Read Next
VP Duterte assumes presidency of Southeast Asian education organization
EDITORS’ PICK
MOST READ
Don’t miss out on the latest news and information. 
View comments