Gays in the Philippine Military

GENERAL
The winds of gay rights is winning legal battles in the seat of Western democracy as the United States Senate voted to overturn the military's 17-year ban on openly gay troops. In the Philippine perspective, this came a bit late as the country lifted its ban way back March 2009.

The American Jurisprudence

On 18 December 2010 (Saturday), the US Senate voted 65-31 to repeal the Clinton-era ban on open gays in the military, popularly known as the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on the issue. This 1993 law has already dismissed over 13,500 service members who made open their sexual orientation. And for the first time in American history, gays will be openly accepted in by the armed forces.

"Under the bill, the president and his top military advisers must first certify that lifting the ban won't  hurt the troo's ability to fighting," went a report from Ann Flaherty of Associated Press.

US President Barack Obama said: "It is time to close this chapter in our history. It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed."

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: "No matter how I look at the issue. I cannot escape being troubled by the fact that we have in place a policy which forces young men and women to lie about who they are in order to defend their fellow citizens." 

Philippine Jurisprudence

In March 2009, "the Philippines became the second country to in a week to officially end the ban on gays serving in the military," Jennifer Venasco reported for the 365 Gay. Gay behavior in public however remains in check by Article 200 of the Revised Penal Code, which considers it a "grave scandal."

Ernesto Torres, AFP spokesman: "Once inside the organization, they have to live by a code of ethics and they have to observe decorum if they want to remain as members of the Armed Forces."