The Phillipines’ President Rodrigo Duterte has changed his stance on same sex marriage, voicing his support for gay and lesbian couples to be allowed to wed.

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“I am for (same) sex marriage if that is the trend of modern times,” he said. “If that will add to your happiness, I am for it.”

Duterte made the comments during an appearance at an LGBT event in Davao. His endorsement of same sex marriage will put him on a collision course with the Catholic Church.

Duterte assured The Philippines’ lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community that they would not suffer from discrimination, oppression and bigotry under his administration.

“Let me just say thank you for the celebration and you have my guarantee that everybody, at least during my term, will be protected and nurtured as a human being,” Duterte said. “There will be no oppression and we will recognize your importance in society,” he said.

Duterte encouraged members of the gay and lesbian community to nominate someone to serve as a Commissioner on the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor. The President recently dismissed all commissioners from the organisation citing that they took unnecessary trips at the tax payers expense and failed to hold regular meetings.

While the President’s comments on marriage were widely reported in the media, they were not included in his official media release about the event.

OIP Staff, Image: Richard Madelo/Presidential Photo