The Philippine LGBT Hate Crime Watch said today that 19-year-old Edmund Padilla was left with burns and blisters after his father, Erano, attacked him with boiling water.
Erano Padilla reportedly told police he attacked his son as a result of pent-up feelings experienced when he found out three of his children were gay. He has been charged and detained.
The PLHCW is calling for justice for Edmund Padilla and for tougher national action by the government.
Reighben Labilles, a spokesperson for the PLHCW, said: “We plead to the government to initiate pro-active programs that provides parents and LGBT children the opportunities to promote freedom of expression of sexuality and gender.
“In a free society, the parents should respect the rights of their LGBT children and stop altogether corporal punishment. We are born this way and you cannot punish us to change our sexuality.”
Unfortunately, Edmund will not be protected under UN Convention on the Rights of the Child or The Philippines’ child protection laws because he is 19-years-old. Still, any old don’t boil a man alive laws on the books should do in this particular case.
A bit of perspective on the homophobic climate of The Philippines: 37 LGBT persons were murdered in 2011 because of their sexuality. They join an additional 110 dating back to 1996, when records of sexuality in crime began.
LGBT groups in The Philippines point to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s landmark speech on LGBT rights as a beacon of hope in their country. Only time will tell if President Obama’s decision to tie foreign aid to LGBT rights will pay off.
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