‘We’ll never support same-sex marriage’

The Catholic Church in the Philippines will not support any legislation that will legalize same-sex marriage, said Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

Palma said this after President Rodrigo Duterte announced that he favors legalizing same-sex marriage during a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) gathering in Davao City during the weekend.

In a press conference yesterday, Palma said that while the President has his own opinion, same-sex marriage runs counter to the teachings of the Church that matrimony should be between a man and a woman.

“It doesn’t mean nga we don’t respect people, pero para namo dili lang namo matawag nga kasal, mao kini ang among pag- tan-aw sa teaching (The way we understand the Catholic teaching, we cannot call same-sex union as marriage),” Palma told reporters yesterday.

Palma believes that if approved as law, the implementation of same-sex marriage could affect the family as an institution.

Duterte announced on Sunday that he was open to changing the law to allow same-sex marriage in the country.

“I want gay marriage. The problem is we have to change the law, but we can change the law,” Duterte said.

He is also open to having gay Cabinet members and promised to members of the LGBT community that “there will be no oppression” involving them as long as he is President./