The country’s gay populace has found an unlikely ally in Sen. Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla Jr.

The actor turned politico, who has made a name for himself by playing tough guy roles, is batting for stricter measures against gender discrimination.

In a recent interview, the senator revealed he is backing a bill that “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.”

According to Revilla, he filed the bill as far back as 2007 to further “equal rights.”

“We are all equal under the law. It doesn’t matter whether you’re gay or straight. We shouldn’t discriminate against anyone,” Revilla explained.

Though gay activists welcomed this move, they were confused with a recent interview the senator did with a veteran scribe.

In an interview with Ricky Lo, the “Panday” star was asked to name three men whom he thinks have nice bodies.

Seemingly hee-hawing, Revilla replied: “Huwag na 'yong mga lalaki baka magmukha tayong ano, eh.”

Bloggers were quick to denounce the interview.

“If he really is pro-gay why is he afraid to look or sound one?” commented one.

“I think his ‘pro-gay crusade’ is all for ‘show.’ It’s voting season after all,” lamented another.

“So what’s wrong about knowing how to appreciate the male body? Why can’t he do it? I can! And I say [Revilla] needs to work out more. He is too flabby to be Panday…hey, no use defending us [gays] if you don’t even care to understand us first,” shared another.

Another comment made by the senator in the same interview that seemingly raised his critics’ eyebrows is the inclusion of his daughters among women whom he considers having nice bodies.

Earlier this year, Revilla, who is widely rumored to be “a ladies’ man” earned derision for his involvement in the probe of the Hayden Kho-Katrina Halili sex video scandal, more so when he eventually came up with a bill that, he said, meant to “protect women from predators.”

Some sectors deemed his actions "hypocritical."

For all these, the senator is still seemingly on the right track, running second only to colleague and friend senator Jinggoy Estrada among voters’ “most preferred senatorial candidate” as conducted by Pulse Asia.

In the survey, respondents were made to choose 12 out of 80 names for their senatorial preferences.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada came first, with 55.1 percent of respondents saying they would include him in their senatorial line-up if the elections were held today.

Trailing Estrada are Revilla (52.7 percent) and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (51.4 percent).

Franklin Drilon (48.4 percent) is fourth, closely followed by Sen. Pia Cayetano (43.1 percent), Ralph Recto (43.1 percent), Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (42.7 percent), and former senators Sergio Osmeña and Vicente Sotto III (both at 40.2 percent).

Also making it to the list are Representative Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (31 percent) and Bukidnon Representative Teofisto Guingona III (28.6 percent).

Rounding up the list of probable winners are Jose de Venecia III (24.3 percent), Manuel "Lito” Lapid (23.1 percent), and Muntinlupa Representative Rozzano Rufino Biazon (22.9 percent).

The non-commissioned survey, which Pulse Asia claims has a margin of error of plus-minus 2 percent, was conducted from Dec. 8-10, 2009, using face-to-face interviews with 1,800 respondents nationwide.