We are in the international press! Next week, one of the world's largest media organizations will interview me on the victory of Ang Ladlad. Not print, but television. Hellow! Philippine Supreme Court allows gay party in polls By OLIVER TEVES Associated Press Writer Posted: 04/08/2010 01:53:12 AM MDT Updated: 04/08/2010 06:49:13 AM MDT The Denver Post MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a decision barring a gay rights group from contesting national elections in May and recognized it as a legitimate political party for the first time. Voting 13-2, the court threw out decisions by the Elections Commission denying accreditation to Ang Ladlad (Out of the Closet) on grounds that it tolerates immorality and offends Christians and Muslims. The justices said the party had complied with all legal requirements, and that there is no law against homosexuality. "I felt vindicated," said the group's leader, Danton Remoto, an English professor at

Six months ago, in 21st-century Philippines, Ang Ladlad and I were called "immoral" by the Second Division of the Commission on Elections. Last week, we were called "abnormal' by a Catholic bishop. The second division of the Comelec is composed of Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, an Extraordinary Eucharistic Minister of the Church in Binmaley, Pangasinan; Commissioner Lucenito Tagle, Director of the Christian Family Movement in Cubao; and Commissioner Elias Yusoph, a Muslim imam. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but these three gentlemen should have inhibited themselves from discussing the merits of Ang Ladlad's accreditation because they would be biased parties in the case at hand. Instead, they rushed headlong into it, with the singleness of purpose of a typhoon bearing down on a small island. During the hearing which I attended with my laywer, Atty. Nick Pichay, I would be asked brilliant questions like this. Commissioner Yusuph: How shall I address you, Miss

G.R. No. 190582 - ANG LADLAD LGBT PARTY represented herein by its Chair Dante Remoto, petitioner v. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, respondent. Promulgated: April 8, 2010 x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x SEPARATE CONCURRING OPINION PUNO, C.J.: I concur with the groundbreaking ponencia of my esteemed colleague, Mr. Justice Mariano C. del Castillo. Nonetheless, I respectfully submit this separate opinion to underscore some points that I deem significant. FIRST. The assailed Resolutions of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) run afoul of the non-establishment clause[1] of the Constitution. There was cypher effort on the part of the COMELEC to couch its r

Republic of the Philippines Supreme Court Baguio City EN BANC ANG LADLAD LGBT PARTY G.R. No. 190582 represented herein by its Chair, DANTON REMOTO, Petitioner, Present: PUNO, C. J., CARPIO, CORONA, CARPIO MORALES, VELASCO, JR., NACHURA, LEONARDO-DE CASTRO, - versus - BRION, PERALTA, BERSAMIN, DEL CASTILLO, ABAD, VILLARAMA, JR., PEREZ, and MENDOZA, JJ. COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS, Promulgated: Respondent. April 8, 2010 x - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x D E C I S I O N DEL CASTILLO, J.: ... [F]reedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order. Justice Robert A. Jackson West Virginia State