Christian group hits gays, lesbians who married in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY ,Philippines  – Groups of born-again Christians demonized gays and lesbians who tied the knot in the city’s first same sex mass wedding here Saturday and labeled the “union” of eight couples at Ayuyang Bar and Restaurant in Baden Powell Inn as a sham.

Pastors Myke Sotero, Egay Constantino, Ceejay Agbayani and Regen Luna of the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) solemnized the marriage vows of the couples but leaders of the Evangelical Christian Community in Baguio and Benguet yesterday declared the rites “invalid.”

“It is clear that in the Philippine law, particularly in the Family Code, marriage is for man and woman, not for couples of the same sex,” said Rev. Dr. Arnold Santonia, representing the Association of Metro-Baguio Christian Ministers composed of Rev. Peter Mayam of the Benguet Evangelical Association of Ministers, Rev. Saturnino Galino of the Trinidad Evangelical Association of Ministers and Bishop Oscar Magallanes of the Good News Community Church.

“The Holy Bible, which we believe in and uphold as the absolute authority for moral conduct, says that any marriage bond between people of the same sex is abhorrent in the eyes of the Most High God. Any attempt to violate God’s holy will in this matter is considered by us as detracting from His glory and a cause for His wrath upon our society. These same-sex weddings are, therefore dangerous,” the group said.

The group also claimed that same sex marriages “will further weaken the already struggling family and community structures by encouraging a mindset that goes against the healthy propagation of the human race and that confuses the natural parent-child relationship with what is unnatural.”

Bishop censured

But supporters of same sex marriage lashed back and slammed religious personalities who expressed indignation at the unions.

The Baguio Pride Network (BPN) hit back and censured Baguio-Benguet Vicariate Carlito Cenzon for his “regrettable” remark that homosexuals are allegedly mentally ill as “unbecoming of a leader of a religious organization that preaches love and acceptance of the children of God.”

The BPN cited that the World Health Organization (WHO) has removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses in 1994.

“Many health care professionals in the Philippines do not consider homosexuality an illness and prescribes no cure to change this condition,” Cye Reyes of the BPN said.

The group said homosexual feelings and loving relationships are just the same as those of heterosexual people and if properly conducted, will lead to stable loving families.

“While we commend Bishop Cenzon for taking a principled stand against casinos and the rape of the Cordillera environment by rampant mining, we take exception to his statements about gay and lesbian couples seeking religious blessings,” Reyes said, adding that lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT), whether single or in committed relationships, are hardworking, productive members of society who provide valuable financial and emotional support to Filipino families.

Reyes also challenged Bishop Cenzon and the Catholic hierarchy to take a compassionate look at the lives of the people they consider immoral and sinful “instead of issuing hurtful and painful words that lessen our dignity as human beings.”

‘Hate crimes’ vs gayson the rise

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño expressed alarm yesterday over what he described as the rising number of hate crimes against gays.

“I am alarmed with the rise in hate crimes against gays. From an average of 10 murders between 1996 and 2008, the killings rose to 12 gays slain in 2009, 26 murdered in 2010, and 27 killed in just the first six months of the current year. The killings involved both male homosexuals and lesbians,” he said.

Casiño said he would seek a House investigation into these killings.

He cited a study by Philippine LGBT Crime Watch, an online organization on Facebook, which found that 97 gays were murdered from 1996 to 2011, with a pronounced rise in gay killings between 2009 and this year.

The study also indicated that the killings did not target a specific profile of gays. “Everyone seems vulnerable,” Casiño said.

Quezon City had the highest incidence of gay killings, with at least four victims listed as employees of broadcast networks.

Forty-two of the 97 reported cases of gays killed happened in the Greater Manila Area, with Quezon City claiming 15 gays slain.

Casiño has filed Bill 1483, which seeks to punish discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. – With Jess Diaz