Leni pushes for SOGIE bill in wake of Gretchen Diez incident

Vice President Leni Robredo has called for the immediate passage of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality Bill after transgender woman Gretchen Diez was kept from using the ladies' room at a Quezon City mall last week.

“Sa akin, iyong hope ko, na sana itong incident na ito, no matter how unfortunate, maging daan para finally ma-realize ng ating mga lawmakers na it’s about time na ipasa natin," Robredo said.

Robredo was one of the authors of the bill in the House of Representatives when she was a congresswoman of Camarines Sur in the 16th Congress.

"Ang tagal na nitong nakabinbin... It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure equality will be present—both in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of the people," Robredo said.

Robredo said the incident involving  Diez was unfortunate.

"As I have said, it should not have happened. Pero baka maging daan iyon para ma-realize ng marami nating mga kababayan na iyong diskriminasyon talagang nangyayari," Robredo said in a radio interview in Naga City.

"Na mayroon tayong mga kasama na dapat sana ine-enjoy iyong karapatan na ine-enjoy natin, pero hindi nae-enjoy dahil sa diskriminasyon,” she added. —NB, GMA News