Isko Moreno on raising age of consent: ‘Pag-aralan, sana hindi maabuso’

TARLAC CITY, Tarlac — Presidential candidate and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno on Tuesday hoped that the law raising the age of consent to 16 will not be abused, saying it should be studied immediately.

This was after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the bill defining the crime of statutory rape and raising the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16.

“Well, dapat masusi nating pag-aralan ‘yan, immediately. Anong epekto niyan sa ating pamayanan. Sana hindi maabuso, sana hindi mapariwara,” Moreno said in an ambush interview.

(Well, we should study this, immediately. What its effect will be on our society. I hope this won’t be abused.)

Moreno said he will look into the good provisions of the law.

“Then I will see to it ano ang magagandang provision doon (then I will see to it what are the good provisions of the law),” he said.

Meanwhile, Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial bet Samira Guto said the law will be beneficial against issues of online sexual violence and pornography in the country.

“So maganda po iyon, yung pagakyat ng edad sa 16 because alam natin umakyat po during pandemya ‘yung online sexual-related incidents where women, children are subject po of online pornography,” she said.

(So this is good, the raising of the age of consent to 16 because we know that the number of online sexual-related incidents where women, children are subject to online pornography increased during the pandemic.)

The newly signed Republic Act 11648 seeks to amend RA 3815 or the Revised Penal Code, RA 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, and RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

Under RA 11648, there will be no criminal liability on the part of a person having carnal knowledge of another person under 16 when the age difference between the parties is not more than three years and the sexual act in question is proven to be “consensual, non-abusive, and non-exploitative.”

It also indicated that children, whether male or female, are deemed to be exploited in prostitution and other sexual abuse if they indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct for money, profit, or any other consideration or due to coercion or influence of any adult, syndicate, or group. — RSJ, GMA News