MANILA (UPDATED) - Jason Masaganda and his partner "Lester" on Saturday said they "remain hopeful" the Supreme Court would allow marriage equality.
The couple was rejected at the Civil Registry Office in Marikina City when they applied for a marriage license on Thursday.
"We had no illusion that the civil registry officer would grant us our application and despite our earnest wishes to be accepted and recognized like all self-respecting and loving couples, we were denied on the grounds of our sexual orientation and gender identity,” Masaganda said in a statement.
The Supreme Court has set oral arguments on June 19 on a petition that seeks to allow same-sex marriage in the Philippines.
The high court decided on the matter during its en banc session Tuesday, 3 years after the petition was filed in May 2015 by Jesus Nicardo M. Falcis III, who described himself in the pleading as "an open and self-identified homosexual.”
In his petition, Falcis urged the high court to declare as unconstitutional Articles 1 and 2, which "define and limit marriage as between man and woman," of Executive Order (EO) No. 209, also known as The Family Code of the Philippines.
(Editor's note: The initial version of this story unintentionally disclosed the full name of Jason Masaganda's partner. Our apologies.)
SC, Supreme Court, marriage equality, same-sex marriage, LGBTQ, Jason Masaganda, Lester Budy