The Lesbian Chronicles: Manila in Another Lesbian Row as Prominent Filipino Cartoonist Resigns After Protest by Catholic School (VIDEOS & PHOTOS)

Just days after mother and daughter Raquel and Charice Pempengco admitted being lesbians, another lesbian row hit Manila over the weekend after a popular cartoonist resigned. Pol Medina Jr., author of the 25-year Pugad Baboy (Pig Sty) cartoon in the Philippine Daily Inquirer quit after nuns from St Scholastica's College protested his strip that says the school condones lesbianism among its all-female students.

This is the cartoon that caused the nuns to threaten a lawsuit, which led to the suspension of Mr Medina who has been known for using his cartoon to make political and social commentaries about Philippine society.

The cartoon, published on June 4, commented on the seemingly hypocritical standards of many Christians who are anti gays and lesbians, but in many all-girls Catholic schools run by nuns, they allegedly condone same-sex relationships among its students. While there is some truth to exclusive same gender schools being a possible breeding ground for gays and for relationships to develop among its adolescent population, what caught the ire of the nuns at St Scholastica is that the cartoons said that virtually all pretty students in St Scho have girlfriends.

That particular cartoon was actually disapproved for publication because of insensitivity, but a mix-up led to its printing anyway. Following threat of Sister Mary Thomas Prado, president of St Scholastica's College, to sue the Inquirer unless an investigation is conducted, the newspaper initially suspended the publication of Mr Medina's cartoon which comes out daily.

From his initial comics strip, Mr Medina has released several best-selling books based on the mostly obese Pugad Baboy characters, which was even made into a TV show, first as a sitcom and now as a cartoon.

The strip has become so popular that some Filipinos say they buy the hard-hitting newspaper mainly because of Pugad Baboy.

Hurt by his suspension, Mr Medina decided to resign. However, he acknowledged offending St Scho with his cartoon and apologised.

"My resignation is the ultimate expression of my regret that I did something wrong ... this should indicate my sincerity in saying sorry," ABS-CBN quoted Mr Medina.

Atty Raul Pangalangan, an official of Inquirer, said the daily is not inclined to accept the cartoonist's resignation because based on their probe, the bigger fault was with the person who uploaded the comic strip. But he added the Inquirer respects Mr Medina's resignation but would like him to continue making his popular strip, which has an MTV as indicator of its popularity.