Ladlad goes for Aquino

At a press conference yesterday, party-list "Ang Ladlad" endorsed Liberal Party standard bearer Sen. Noynoy Aquino as the LGBT's presidential bet. Party-list chairman Danton Remoto reasoned that Aquino was chosen by the party because Noynoy is "walang bahid, walang mantsa. Hindi mo na kailangang magkuskos at magkula pa." (See: Ang Ladlad to add flavor, color in Congress )

Danton Remoto at "ANG LADLAD" Press Conference

Just how much vote can "ANG LADLAD" give Noynoy Aquino? 

"The group claims to have 16,000 members, but Remoto said it was banking on the estimated 5 million LGBT voters."

The party-list had recently been allowed by the Supreme Court to join the election, after it was barred by the Comelec on the basis of moral grounds. Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo, the ponente of the decision, reasoned:

"We hold that moral disapproval, without more, is not a sufficient governmental interest to justify exclusion of homosexuals from participation in the party-list system.The denial of Ang Ladlad’s registration on purely moral grounds amounts more to a statement of dislike and disapproval of homosexuals, rather than a tool to further any substantial public interest"

Danton Remoto is not one of the party's nominee to Congress. In a blog post by Jessica Zafra, Remoto explained: 

Jessica: Why should we vote for Ang Ladlad when you’re not their nominee? Explain again why you’re no longer eligible to sit as congressgay?

Danton: I cannot run for party list because I lost in my bid for Congressman in May of 2007. The Party List Law, or Republic Act 7941, forbids a person who has lost in a previous election from being a party list representative. So I can only run in 2013.

Sen. Francis Escudero was reported to be instrumental to securing the party-list support for Aquino. (See: Escudero all out for ‘Noy-Bi’ )