Catholic lawmakers ‘have no basis’ to deny same-sex civil unions after Pope’s historic intervention, says Philippine president

 The 83-year-old Pope Francis made a major break from Catholic teachings in an interview for the documentary Francesco, which premiered on Wednesday (October 21).

“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family,” the pontiff said. “They’re children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it.”

He added: “What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.”

The announcement could soon see same-sex civil unions legalized in the Philippines, the home of the third largest Catholic population in the world after Brazil and Mexico.

In a televised press briefing from Malacañang Palace, the seat of the Philippines’ government, a spokesperson confirmed that the “recognition of same-sex union has always been supported” by president Rodrigo Duterte.

“That just depends on the priority of Congress,” spokesperson Harry Roque told reporters on Thursday. “But with no less than the Pope supporting it, I think even the most conservative of all Catholics in Congress should no longer have a basis for objecting.”

While it is true that president Duterte expressed his support for same-sex civil unions as early as 2017, many LGBT+ Filipinos will be sceptical of the apparent attempt to paint him as champion of their community.

The abrasive leader is often likened to Donald Trump for his obscene outbursts that commonly target LGBT+ people, with his offensive comments about a gay US ambassador leading Barack Obama to cancel a meeting with him in 2016.

He has previously smeared his election opponents as gay, joked about conversion therapy and recently pardoned a US marine convicted of a trans phobic killing.

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