Now, let me write about Danton Remoto. Remoto, as you know, is the chairman and founder of Ang Ladlad, a partylist organization.
Remoto has just been dealt with two devastating blows—his partylist org was disqualified and just yesterday, he was also stricken out of the list of qualified senatorial candidates. The second division chaired by no less than Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer handed a fatal blow to Ang Ladlad when he disqualified the organization for being “redundant“. Now, Remoto was also disqualified as a senatorial candidate because of his alleged lack of organization and resources.
This is clearly a sign that the Comelec is suffering from homophobia. How in the world did they determined that Remoto does not have a machinery to use for a national campaign? Remoto’s name alone attracts millions of votes.
Remoto, undeniably, has already established a name as a gay rights activist. His exposure is definitely beneficial for any campaign. His name has been published in most broadsheets and tabloids and people know him by name and by the cause he espouses. Why consider a name such as Yasmin Lao eligible when a Remoto is not?
Lao, pardon me, is a relative unknown, though she is a Liberal party candidate. Remoto can actually launch a campaign all by himself, since he already established political stock.
Do you mean to say that people will vote for a Lao or an Ocampo (a senatorial candidate of the Bangon Pilipinas) instead of a Remoto? I will definitely vote for Remoto rather than waste my time shading that box next to these two names: Lao and Ocampo.
This surely is a justiciable question—whether or not the Comelec has the power to define what a “national campaign is” and what qualifications an individual must possess to be eligible to run for a national post like the Senate.
This decision to strike out Remoto’s name is a clear case of political homophobia. People who love the law must contest it before the Supreme Court and allow Danton Remoto his day in court.
Popularity: 1% [?]
COMELEC, like the Ombudsman, are governmental agencies set up because the normal system of laws and justice are loose, biased, inefficient, or downright ineffective. You pose an excellent question as to what authorities COMELEC rightfully should have. They seem to be defining the nation’s morality, a step beyond administering elections.
Joe
Sadly, it’s not new though in a country where your boss would like to define your morality for you even after you leave the office.
i may not agree with some of “Ang Ladlad”‘s principles and advocacies, but I will definitely agree that Remoto should not have been disqualified for the senatorial slate.
mas kilala ko pa nga si Danton kesa kay JC Delos Reyes eh.
Hi pat hope you can reconsider your stand on Yasmin Busran-Lao. We have been working with her with the NGO I work for our Peace and Development Program in Mindanao. Although the general public may not know her but among women’s group and the Change Politics Movement she is one of our leaders. She may lack the PR and high profile coverage but she has done a lot for Muslim women and the Bangsamoro.
I will definitely vote for Danton and Ang Ladlad party list. But I hope you also look into the the profile of these unknown candidates and assess their track records and reform agenda before you judged their lack of exposure to the public, after all I believe you will agree with me that it is popularity and showbiz stature that we would like to rid this country – we need the kind of Efren Penaflorida – now sung hero – used to be low profile but doing their share in making this country a better place –
Check Yasmin profile here – I am going to campaign for her – http://yasminsasenado.blogspot.com/
Mabuhay si Yasmin!
Mabuhay ang mga Kandidato para sa Pagbabago!
Hi Pete,
I already rectified and I apologize. Please accept my apologies by reading my entry over at http://newphilrevolution.blogspot.com.
Thanks!
Of course Danton could have chosen step out of the closet after May 11, but that is totally dishonest. The COMELEC commissioner who said that Congress has gay members would accept gays only if they are in the closet. Congress may be one big closet!
It’s from the medieval 2nd division of the COMELEC, so the decision came as no big surprise really. It would be interesting how the Supremes would decide this one.
Sooner or later, COMELEC is going to run out of legislative excuses to justify their badly-concealed homophobia.
It will take time for people to accept homosexuals. It is because
of the religious beliefs of people. Homosexuality is contrary to
almost all of our religious dogmas and doctrines.
How many years you think, they believe the world was flat? Several
centuries. Anybody thinking otherwise was burned on the Stake.
So, it will take time for us to accept homosexuality.
At least some churches are already beginning to recognize same-sex marriages, on the grounds they’d rather give merit to the person’s character, rather than their sexual orientation.
It’s a long way to go, but when change can come from within the very ranks that subvert gay rights, it does offer a glimmer of hope.
This is what has been happening to the concept of “human rights” under the regime of anti-discrimination laws. By asserting a right to be free from discrimination, various government commissions and associated lobby groups have, for a long while gradually undermined private property rights, which underlie our freedom to trade and our freedom of association. By doing so, these groups[Comelec] now claim extensive power to ride roughshod over private decisions.
What needs to be understood is that exceptions and exemptions under the applicable anti-discrimination laws exist to try to promote equality. So where it’s felt that groups who are disadvantaged or marginalised, that need a special measure to help them achieve equality, that’s when the equality should take place. This whole issue is not about targeting this particular application. It’s really saying: “let’s not misuse the exemptions just to build a business or develop a market share, or a niche market.”
These bogus “human rights” are not just the products of a misunderstanding of the nature of rights; they are actually a means for subverting genuine rights. The alleged right to freedom from discrimination is, on close examination, merely a means to allow the use of force to prevent people from using all available information in their judgments of others.
Food for Thoughts:
We are Human Being. We would gladly, open doors for you!
What needs to be understood is that exceptions and exemptions under the applicable anti-discrimination laws exist to try to promote equality. So where it’s felt that groups who are disadvantaged or marginalised, that need a special measure to help them achieve equality, that’s when the equality should take place. This whole issue is not about targeting this particular application. It’s really saying: “let’s not misuse the exemptions just to build a business or develop a market share, or a niche market.”
These bogus “human rights” are not just the products of a misunderstanding of the nature of rights; they are actually a means for subverting genuine rights. The alleged right to freedom from discrimination is, on close examination, merely a means to allow the use of force to prevent people from using all available information in their judgments of others.
To paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King during Civil Rights struggle
in U.S. : ” I have a dream. That people will not be judged by
their SEXUAL ORIENTATIONS. But by the CONTENTS of their CHARACTERS.
I have a dream…”.
It takes many years for the Jim Crow Laws to be removed in the U.S.
The law enforces Racial Discrimination. The COMELEC is now like
the people enforcing the Jim Crow Law. By discriminating against
people of different sexual orientations. We have to struggle for the
Civil Rights of all citizens.
May I suggest people read the opinions of the 3 Commissioners who voted to reverse the decision of the 2nd Division. It’s a good read, which addresses the issues about the (mis-application) of religion and morals in deciding the Petition of Ladlad.
How about, if Homosexuality would have been allowed and accepted in their Morals, Ways of Lives and Religious Beliefs. Would they have decided to approve LADLAD?
This is a QUESTION to these COMELEC Commissioners.Dont try to evade
the issue. By justifying your bigotries.
Precisely, the minority decision of the En Banc specifically addressed the issues and said that the organization should be accredited because they met the guidelines for accreditation. The opinion discussed the organizations qualifications, and stated that the basis for the approval or denial of a petition should be the guidelines set, and not on religious or moral grounds.
There was a mis-application of the use of morals and religion, simply because the guidelines set by the Supreme Court which is to be used as parameters does not include these.
I think this was used as basis for Nicanor Perlas being considered as nuisance candidate by the COMELEC! But Nicanor’s case was that of lack of Machinery which apparently was a basis for being a acceptable candidate.
Comelec Disqualification of Nicanor
Partial List of Candidates
The COMELEC has a hidden agenda for the disqualification. Same
way as those White Supremacists can prevent you from service in
their hotels during the discrimination era in the U.S.
They have also some guidelines and signs: ” We reserve the right
not to serve anybody.” If you were black or colored. They just
point to the sign. To make you go away.
And yet Comelec gave a free pass for murderers like Jovito Palparan, and idiots like Erap.
Pardon, but it seems that my BS meter for Comelec has blow a fuse.
Again.
Dear Sir,
Many thanks for your intelligent commentary and the likewise sharp comments from your readers. When Ted Failon asked me what will I do now, I said I will return to my day job — either teaching at the university or working for an international development organization — then run again in 2013.
A struggle, by definition, is always long and unfinished. And to my dying day I will continue to do so, not only for the LGBT Filipinos but for all of us who want more substance and less shit in government.
May the new year be kinder to us all.
Danton Remoto