The former law dean of the University of the Philippines said saying denying LGBTI couples the right to marry was unconstitutional.

Pacifico Agabin made the comments at a professional lecture given by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Vitug.

The Inquirer quoted Agabin as saying, ‘The Family Code’s concept of marriage as a contract between a man and a woman aside from being obsolete, violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

‘In my opinion to bar the lesbians, the gays, the transsexuals and homosexuals from the civil right to marry would violate the guarantee of equal protection.’

He added that it ‘also intrudes into the right to privacy which is a fundamental right.’

Vitug said the Philippines was bucking the trend toward legalizing gay marriage.

He said, ‘A lot of countries really have legalized this [same sex marriages] and here in the Philippines, I agree with my colleagues in the panel that it may take a while before we would be able to be in that stage.’

‘In fact, just the opposite, for instance, in the case of the bill pending in Congress, it is saying we should preserve the right of marriage between natural born male and natural born females. It may take a while before we can expect any possible changes.

The Philippines ranked number two in the world after the US for searches related to same-sex marriage in 2012.

Vitug said he did not support gay marriage that the family code should be amended so that property rights were extended to same-sex couples.

Their comments drew mixed reaction on social media:

@YouScoop: #sabihinmo its about time we discuss samesex union. We need it to protect r proprties, health insurance atbp. #LGBT — party rocker awesome (@partyRockerChun) October 8, 2014

@engrpilyo2013 @YouScoop religion does not count in Civil Law. Pantay-pantay ang lahat sa mata ng batas. Separation of the Church and State. — janssen paulo (@janssencusi) October 9, 2014

@YouScoop no to same sex marriage; unless we invite the wrath of God. — bryan (@lightsaber46) October 9, 2014