Groups decry operation vs LGBTQ couples in Maguindanao del Sur village

“No one should be punished or humiliated for who they are or whom they love.”

CAGAYAN DE ORO – Several groups from the LGBTQ community denounced the so-called “Operation Supak (opposed)” recently implemented in Barangay Layog, Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur. This operation reportedly involves forcibly taking LGBTQ couples who are living under the same roof and bringing them to the barangay hall.

LGBT Pilipinas pointed out that there is no Philippine law that criminalizes same-sex relationships. It added that dragging individuals and interrogating them constitute grave violations of their rights.

The group highlighted various laws, including Article III (Bill of Rights), Section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which states that people have the right to be secure in their persons and houses against unreasonable searches and seizures. Moreover, Section 11 of Article II states that the government must value the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.

“This is not culture, it is not tradition — it is an invasion of privacy. It is discrimination. It is illegal,” LGBT Pilipinas said in a statement.

Datu Faisal Mamasabulod Alhaj, chairman of Barangay Layog, confirmed in an interview with Brigada News Cotabato that they conducted the operation by taking the LGBTQ couples and bringing them to the barangay hall. This was in response to the reports they received, as the act in question is said to be prohibited in the Islam religion.

The chairman said four LGBTQ couples were “settled,” while there are three others that need to be sorted out. He did not elaborate during the interview on what kind of settlement they did. 

Alhaj even warned those couples who have yet to disclose that he would be the one to visit their residences and take them out.

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Zamboanga City-based Mujer LGBT Organization reminded local authorities involved, including the religious sector, that no cultural, religious, or moral belief can justify human rights violations. It said that this incident shows the continuing struggle that the community is facing to this day.

“The Philippines is a secular and democratic nation, where the Constitution guarantees equality, privacy, and protection from discrimination for all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression,” the group said in a statement.

Mujer urged the local government to promptly cease the operation and ensure the psychosocial support for the affected couples. The group, including another LGBTQ organization, Mindanao Pride, also called on the Commission on Human Rights to launch an investigation and hold those responsible accountable.

Mujer also called the attention of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to issue clear directives to the barangay governments pertaining to their duties to always uphold the rights of their constituencies.

On the other hand, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, a regional organization of LGBTQ rights defenders from Southeast Asia, also condemned the operation. It demanded administrative sanctions for local officials and personnel who authorized and participated in the operation, including a public apology from the Pagalungan municipal government and Barangay Layog administration.

“No one should be punished or humiliated for who they are or whom they love,” Mindanao Pride said in a statement. (RTS, RVO)

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