An “abused” wife of an Army official shows up at the Senate to block his promotion before the Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday, March 12, 2024. In a press conference Tuesday, Tessa Luz Reyes-Sevilla narrated to members of the Senate media the allegedly harrowing events she endured at the hands of her husband Ranulfo Sevilla. Noy Morcoso / INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The promotion of an Army official met a setback at the Commission on Appointments (CA) as his wife showed up at the Senate on Tuesday to block it.
Tessa Luz Reyes-Sevilla recalled the allegedly harrowing events she went through at the hands of her husband Ranulfo Sevilla.
She said her husband does not deserve to be promoted. The military official was nominated for promotion to brigadier general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“No amount of sorry, no amount of money will make me back down. Nothing will make us back down. We deserve to be vindicated,” Tessa told reporters in a press conference on Tuesday before the CA confirmation hearing of her husband.
She added that she has been silent long enough and has endured for too long the alleged abuses of her husband.
“Hindi ko na po kayang manahimik. Nagtiis na po kami nang matagal. Ang masakit doon ay nilulunok na nga namin ‘yung walang sustento — eh nakukuha pang mambabae,” she added.
(I can’t keep quiet anymore. We have endured for a long time. What’s painful is that we have been tolerating his lack of financial support and yet he still has the gall to womanize.)
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Apart from committing adultery, Tessa said she and her children were physically and mentally abused by Sevilla.
“Ang nakakasakit sa akin kasi nakikita ng mga bata. Maaaring inosente sigurong tignan na naitulak, hindi sinasadyang itinulak — pero kasi po buntis ako eh. Buntis ako, itinulak po ako. Akala ko makukunan ako kaya nagpa-protection order ako,” she said in tears.
(What hurts me is that the children see it. It may look innocent to have been pushed, accidentally pushed — but I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant, I was pushed. I thought I would miscarry mu child so I applied for a protection order.)
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Tessa’s 12-year-old daughter, who accompanied her at the Senate, likewise testified that she and her siblings were subjected to Sevilla’s “abusive acts.”
In the end, Tessa asked the AFP to look into the growing incidents of housewives being abused by their partners who are military officials.
“The gentlemen of the AFP, I hope that you’re hearing this and this is the right time. I hope that it’s going to be a precedent and I hope that you look into the very sad plight of the wives, mothers, partners of your men in the AFP. It’s about time, Sirs,” she appealed.
The CA panel on national defense, meanwhile, held an executive session to discuss Sevilla’s appointment.
Sevilla’s confirmation hearing was earlier deferred at the committee level as Senator Risa Hontiveros requested to personally question him regarding the opposition of his wife, Tessa, to his appointment.