Tito Sotto says he has no problem with LGBTQ community

Vice presidential aspirant Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he had no problems with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBT) community, adding that he supported friends who were LGBTQ. 

In an episode of The Mangahas Interviews Election Special aired on Saturday, Sotto said it was wrong to say that he was against the LGBTQ community.

“Again, may mga taong nagsasabi na hindi ako pabor sa mga LGBT. Nagkakamali sila. Ang dami kong kaibigan na LGBT. On both sides of the camp and even in the middle,” Sotto said.

(Again, there are people saying I am not in favor of LGBT. They are wrong. I have a lot of friends who are LGBT. On both sides of the camp and even in the middle.)

“Marami akong kaibigan diyan at puwede ko silang tanungin. Walang problema sa akin 'yun,” he added.

(I have many friends and I can ask them. There's no problem.)

Sotto has said that there was no chance that the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill being pushed by the gay community would pass in the Senate.

He said the chamber could pass an anti-discrimination bill but not one that was focused on members of the LGBT community.

“The anti-discrimination bill in the Senate would've passed easily if they did not convert it to a something na may mga provision na pinagde-debatehan doon which ventures into religious freedom and educational freedom. May mga ganu'ng probisyon. ‘Yun ang pinagtatalunan doon. Hindi pinagtatalunan dun 'yung anti-discrimination to what gender,” Sotto said.

(The anti-discrimination bill in the Senate would've passed easily if they did not convert it to a something with provisions that would draw debate, such as those that venture into religious freedom and educational freedom. There are provisions like that in the bill. Those are being contested. The anti-discrimination to what gender is not being discussed.)

“Again, misinformation hindi kasi nakikinig at nanonood ng journal ng Senate eh lalo na pag may debate eh. Pinakikinggan lang yung kuwentong kutchero sa gabi eh,” he added.

(Again, misinformation because they don't listen to and watch the Senate journal, especially when there is a debate. They just listen to rumors at night.)

Senator Risa Hontiveros urged her colleagues to immediately pass the SOGIE bill, following the incident where a transgender woman, Gretchen Diez, was prevented from using a female comfort room in a mall in Quezon City.

Three senators — Leila de Lima, Bong Go and Imee Marcos — have expressed support for the bill.

‘Ang tawag, na-ano lang’ 

Sotto explained his comment about former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo being a solo parent was only a “joke.”

He earlier said that "in the street language, when you have children and you are single, ang tawag lang ay na-ano lang."

“Hindi ko naman akalain na magiging sensitive sila ron pero yun kasi yung salita sa kalsada sa programa namin Eat Bulaga sa ‘Juan for All, All for Juan’ sa mga kababayan natin,” Sotto said.

(I don't think they will be sensitive, but that's the word on the road in our Eat Bulaga program on "Juan for All, All for Juan" among our countrymen.)

Taguiwalo was asked by Sotto whether she was single during her confirmation hearing at the Committee on Appointments (CA) Committee on Labor, Employment and Social Welfare.

She answered that she had two daughters.

Taguiwalo explained that her life “has never been a normal one,” given detention and her involvement in underground life.

“I know based on the investigation ng CA na si Secretary Taguiwalo mapagbiro rin siya, asked her friends,” Sotto explained.

(I know based on the CA investigation that Secretary Taguiwalo was also a joker, asked her friends.)

“Nandoon sa investigation report eh. Hindi ko naman naisip na masamain ng ibang tao. Sumobra naman ang pagkabalat sibuyas ng iba. There was nothing, wala naman masama doon. Ganoon talaga 'yun. Instead of saying the exact word it is better to use the word ‘ano,’” he added.

(It was in the investigation report. I didn't think that other people would be offended. They became thin-skinned too much. There was nothing wrong with that. That's really it. Instead of saying the exact word, it's better to use the word “ano.”)

Meanwhile, Gabriela Party-list said they took “much offense” in Sotto’s remarks, on behalf of solo parents and women “raising their children amid difficult circumstances.” —NB/KG, GMA News