Philippines Supreme Court will hear arguments on same-sex marriage

The Philippines Supreme Court will finally hear oral arguments about legalizing same-sex marriage.

Openly gay lawyer Jesus Falcis III filed two petitions in 2015 and 2016 for the court to rule on the issue.

After a lot of waiting the Court confirmed it will hear arguments about the same-sex marriage in June.

‘The Court set the case for oral arguments on June 19, 2018, at 2:00 in the afternoon,’ said SC Spokesperson Theodore Te at a press conference on Tuesday (6 March).

‘The petition is one for certiorari and prohibition challenging certain provisions of the Family Code on marriage where they impact on ‘same-sex’ marriages.’

In his petition, Falcis argued that certain sections of the 1987 Family Code were unconstitutional. He said the law did not specify which genders could marry.

Marriage would bring protections

Falcis argued that a lack of marriage equality in the Phillipines left same-sex couples without certain protections such as; parental, inheritance and property rights.

‘Heterosexuals who enter marriage after committing to or to commit to a long-term monogamous relationship are no different from heterosexuals, who can enter into long-term monogamous relationships as well,’ Falcis wrote in his petition.

‘Both straight and gay couples have the same chances of breaking up or falling in love.’

But a government lawyer does not believe the petitions have much strength.

Solicitor General Florin Hilbay told the Inquirer the petition was ‘intrinsically flawed’.

Hillbay argued there was not enough justification legal standing for the Court to remove the articles as Falcis requested.

‘This is an invitation to a debate or coffee-shop conversation, not a constitutional litigation,’ Hilbay said.

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