Senate’s final OK on statutory rape age bill seen by yearend

MANILA, Philippines— The Senate could still pass on final reading before the year ends a measure that would raise the age of statutory rape to 16, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Wednesday.

The House of Representatives already approved Tuesday its own version of the measure raising the statutory rape age from the current 12 to 16.

In the Senate, however, Hontiveros said such proposal contained in various bills already passed the committee level but a report has yet to be routed for signatures before it could be elevated to the plenary.

READ: Senate panels approve bills seeking to raise statutory rape age to 16

The senator is confident the measure would be approved on the third and final reading by yearend, noting the rising cases of online sexual exploitation of children as well as domestic abuse against women during this pandemic.

“So I think in this context at sa kabila ng lahat Christimas spirit na nagcre-creep up on us, I’m hopeful na maipasa namin ito, makahabol kami sa parliamentary status sa House at maipasa ito within the year,” Hontiveros told reporters in an online n interview.

(So I think in this context, and as the Christmas spirit is creeping up on us, I’m hopeful we could pass this and catch up with the parliamentary status in the House, and we pass it within the year.)

The senator is one of the authors of the measure and the head of the Senate committee on women, which deliberated on the issue, along with the committee on justice.

Once approved by the Senate and the House, the measure would be tackled in the bicameral conference committee. The final version from the bicam would be ratified by both chambers before transmitting it to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

“Itong pag-amyenda sa ating kasalukuyang Anti-Rape Law places consent or the lack of consent front and center of the crime of rape at dinadagdagan yung proteksyon sa ating mga batang babae lalo na laban sa statutory rape,” Hontiveros said.

(This amendment to the current Anti-Rape Law places consent, or the lack of consent, front and center of the crime of rape and provides more protection to teenage girls especially against statutory rape.)

“So ngayon ang sino mang tao na magkaroon ng sexual relations with minor ay ko consider yan na statutory rape…” she said.

(So now, whoever has sexual relations with minor would be considered a statutory rape)

In the Senate version however, Hontiveros said there is a so-called “Romeo and Juliet” clause exempting from the coverage of the law the sexual act between minors proven to be in a consensual, non-exploitative, and non-abusive relationship.

JE