A bill seeking to establish police desks for the protection of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community hurdled the committee level at the House of Representatives.

This after the House committee on public order and safety approved House Bill 2952 seeking to establish LGBT help and protection desks in Philippine National Police (PNP) stations nationwide. The committee chaired by Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop approved the bill authored by the “Star for all Seasons,” actress and Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos-Recto.

According to Santos-Recto’s bill, these LGBT police desks would act on all cases involving crimes against chastity or sexual harassment committed against the LGBT community. Santos-Recto also mandated the PNP to ensure the gender neutrality of its human resources – in the recruitment of police, as well as promotion and deployment of police officers.

“Ultimately, this bill seeks to create a police organization that is able and eager to respond to any criminal or emergency incident, regardless of the gender orientation of the people involved,” Santos-Recto said in her bill.

Earlier, the House committee in a hearing agreed with the National Police Commission (Napolcom) that instead of a law, a memorandum order or resolution to all PNP stations should suffice to establish LGBT protection desks.

But Santos-Recto argued during the next hearing that the creation of LGBT protection desks by amending the law – Republic Act 8551 or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998 – would provide long-term protection to the LGBT sector. Read more via Inquirer