[Technicolor Musings] Is Duterte Really An LGBT Ally We Want?

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte by Keith Bacongco via Flickr.

In a recent appearance on Gandang Gabi Vice, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte made a statement in support of LGBT marriage. Duterte continues to feature prominently in the surveys for possible candidates for president, but publicly he has denied interest in running and claims he does not have the resources for running a national campaign. However his continued appearances in the news and shows like GGV kinda implies he's still playing the traditional politics game, complete with singing and dancing for audiences / potential voters.

But Duterte is also associated with humans rights abuses including extra-judiciary killings of criminals in Davao City. There's a reason that it remains to be one of the safest cities in the country - which I admit, may not a bad thing in terms of end result. Still, we've always taught the ends do not justify the means - if anyone can prove his direct involvement of course. Very tricky either way.

So should we just eagerly embrace any candidate who says they're open to supporting LGBT rights? Or should cases like Duterte make us consider his entire history before making a decision.