Padilla issues apology, clarification on marital rape hearing

Senator Robin Padilla has issued an apology to those offended by some of his statements during a Senate hearing about marital rape.

"Sa mga na offend po o hindi nagustuhan ang aming pagdinig patungkol sa marital rape… Mga kababayan, paumanhin po,” he said in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

(To those who were offended or did not like our hearing on marital rape… Fellow citizens, I apologize)

In a statement on Facebook, Padilla said that he never said that it was “okay” for husbands to force wives to have sex.

“Ang sabi ko, ‘paano kaming mga lalaki na naniniwala sa sexual rights kapag kami ay in heat?’ (What I said was, ‘what about us men that believe in sexual rights when we are in heat?’) Not drunk, not violent, not under influence of any drugs or liquor… [Just] plain love and lust,” Padilla clarified.

“Bakit po namin nasabi na sexual rights? Lumaki po ako sa Bibliya… Malinaw po doon na ang babae ang nagpapasakop sa lalaki,” he added.

(How can we say that it is sexual right? I grew up on the Bible… It is clear there that the women are dominated by the men)

According to Padilla, the Christian Bible teaches that each spouse had conjugal rights to enjoy a healthy sexual relationship, while Muslims believed that husbands must have intercourse that satisfies their wives without harm to their own selves.

He added that it was traditionally recommended by Islamic scholars for married couples to have sex at least once every four months, while some recommended once a month, every four days, or no time limit.

“Most scholars say that it is obligatory on women alike [to] not to refuse their husbands if they call them so long as the woman who is called is not menstruating or sick in such a way that intercourse will be harmful to her, or observing an obligatory fast. If she refuses with no excuse, then she is cursed,” he said.

Padilla stated that he was only listening,  posing questions, and explaining to resource speakers in hearings.

“[Ang resource speaker] ang makakasagot sa tanong ko kung ano ang sinasabi ng batas ng tao sa marital obligation[s]. Hindi nga rape ang punto ko, ang punto ay kung ano ang pwedeng gawin ng asawang lalaki para maging legal ang paghingi ng sex ng isang lalaki at hindi maging rape. Wala akong sinabi na ok ang pilitin ang babae [na mag-sex],” he explained.

(The resource speaker is the one who can answer my question on what the people’s law is saying about marital obligations. My point wasn’t even rape, my point was what can husbands do for it to be legal to ask for sex without it being considered rape. I never said that it was okay to force women to have sex.)

In the latest data of the National Demographic and Health survey in 2022, 2.3% of women experienced sexual violence from their spouses or partners.

The survey recorded the highest cases in the Bicol region, Ilocos region, and Mimaropa.

There is also separate data for those who experienced emotional violence and physical violence.

Padilla mentioned that this may mean that the government was lacking in implementing and enforcing the law.

He encouraged the public to continue discussing and sharing the hearings to remain well informed.

The senator also reassured that he also had an existing resolution to aid victims of sexual harassment.

“Wag po kayo magalala… Ako po ay may resolution din na in aid of legislation… Ang mga sexual harassment, abuse at rape ng New Peoples Army na ang biktima ay Gabriela,” he said.

(Don’t worry… I also have a resolution in aid of legislation… the victims of sexual harassment, abuse and rape of the New People’s Army from Gabriela) --VAL, GMA Integrated News