MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has taken up the cudgels for the gay and lesbian group “Ang Ladlad” and formally urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to “reexamine” its petition for party-list accreditation.

“In answer to these allegations of discrimination and violations to the equality principle, the CHR appeals to the Comelec to ensure the prompt and impartial reexamination of Ang Ladlad’s right to stand for elections, in accordance with the standards set in the human right to electoral participation and the principles of nondiscrimination and equality,” the government human rights watchdog said in an advisory.

The CHR stressed that the United Nations Human Rights Treaty bodies “have identified sexual orientation as a specific category that is subject to the protection against discrimination and equal protection.”

Ang Ladlad also received support from the New York-based Human Rights Watch, which had sent a letter to Comelec Chair Jose Melo urging the poll body to reverse its earlier decision to junk the group’s bid for party-list accreditation on the ground that it “tolerates immorality, which offends religious beliefs.”

In its letter, Human Rights Watch pointed out that while Ang Ladlad was disqualified on the basis of its members’ supposed immorality, the Comelec accredited the party-list group “Bantay” led by retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan who had been implicated in several cases of human rights violations.

“Comelec’s rejection of Ang Ladlad’s petition on grounds of sexual orientation is an ominous breach of its democratic obligations,” said Dipika Nath, researcher in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch.

“Prejudice and fear should not be permitted to shut people out of the political process,” Nath said in a statement.

The Comelec also rejected the party-list bid of Ang Ladlad in 2007, which could have been the group’s first foray into politics.

Ang Ladlad is led by university professor and writer Danton Remoto.