Top Philippine court hears landmark same-sex marriage case

Manila: The Philippines’ top court heard arguments on Tuesday for the legalisation of gay marriage, a historic first in the overwhelmingly Catholic nation.

Two same-sex couples denied licences to wed urged the Supreme Court to strike down a 1987 law that states marriage must be between a man and a woman. “When the right to marry, a decision so personal, so intimate and so life-changing, is denied to LGBT people, the state is not valuing their dignity,” lawyer Jesus Falcis, who is also a co-plaintiff, told justices in Manila.

It took three years for the Supreme Court to schedule a hearing and the case will likely move at a glacial pace.

Judges will next hear from the government’s lawyers, but the court does not set itself deadlines to issue rulings and cases sometimes take years to resolve.

Legal experts say the case is still highly significant.

“The decision will be landmark because the court has never pronounced on this,” University of the Philippines law professor Antonio La Vina told AFP. “Obviously, it would be even more landmark, more historic if they say marriage is not between a man and a woman.”

Outside the court on Tuesday, about 20 members of Manila’s LGBT community waved rainbow flags and lit multi-coloured candles in support of the petition. Danton Remoto, founder of the LBGT political party Ang Ladlad (Out of the Closet) told AFP he welcomed the Supreme Court’s hearing of the case.

“A space has been opened up to discuss this case legally,” Remoto added.