Kabataan Party-list Representative Raymond “Mong” Palatino today expressed dismay over the Commission on Elections’ decision to bar Ang Ladlad Partylist from seeking congressional representation on grounds that it “tolerates immorality.”

“We feel saddened with the Comelec’s decision to dismiss Ang Ladlad’s petition. It is unfortunate that discrimination against the LGBT (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders) community is reflected in offices such as the Comelec, an agency that is expected to know what the meaning of democracy is,” said Palatino.

The young solon said he “shares the disappointment of a broad number of LGBT in the youth sector.”

Palatino said the Comelec’s rationale for dismissing Ang Ladlad’s petition is “flawed and myopic.” “It seems that the Comelec is guided by antiquated beliefs, such as equating homosexuality with immorality. Para silang nabubuhay sa Stone Age,” he said.

“If being gay offends the morals, what about killing activists and stealing from the people’s coffers? If it refused accreditation to legitimate sectoral representatives such as Ang Ladlad, why did it allow pseudo partylists like Bantay and Kasangga? As far as I know, these pseudo-partylists are the real threats to young Filipinos. Pseudo-partylists and political opportunists using the partylist system for their vested interests are the ones who are truly ‘immoral,” Palatino said.

Bantay Partylist is represented by retired general Jovito Palaparan, who was known as “the butcher” for his bloody human rights records, while Kasangga’s seat is taken by Lourdes Arroyo, younger sister of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.

“We would rather work with Ang Ladlad here in Congress than with these partylists which do not represent marginalized sectors. We are one with the LGBT community, especially the LGBT youth, in condemning this flawed and lopsided decision,” the youth solon said.

Palatino also denounced the Comelec’s recent decision to refuse accreditation to Migrante Partylist, which represents Overseas Filipino Workers. Since the introduction of the partylist system in 1998, there hasn’t been any Congressional representative from both the LGBT and OFW sectors.###