MANILA, Philippines — After receiving flak over his remarks, Senator Robin Padilla on Monday said his questions pertaining to consent between spouses are only hypothetical and not based on his actions and beliefs.
During a Senate hearing last week, Padilla asked lawyer Lorna Kapunan what would be the lawful recourse for a husband whose wife turns down his “sudden sexual urge.”
READ: Padilla, Kapunan talk about sex: ‘Respect wife, pray, watch Netflix’
“Ang aking mga katanungan po ay hypothetical base sa sentimiento at realidad ng mga pang-karaniwang Pilipino,” Padilla said in a statement. “Hindi po ito mula sa aking mga personal na gawain, paniniwala o karanasan.”
(My question was hypothetical based on the sentiments and reality of common Filipinos. It is not based on my personal deeds, beliefs, and experiences.)
Padilla said he only sought to generate conversations on the topic by raising such questions.
“Ang linya po ng aking pagtatanong ay upang magkaroon ng diskusyon at pagbibigay-linaw. Ito po ang realidad sa tunay na estado ng relasyon ng ordinaryong mag-asawang Pilipino,” he said.
(My line of questioning is geared towards discussion and clarification. This is the reality and the true state of relations for ordinary Filipino married couples.)
“Ang mga sensitibong paksa na ito ay kailangan nating talakayin at pag-usapan para maisaayos at mailagay sa tama ang batas,” he added.
(These sensitive topics should be tackled and talked about so we can fix and correct the law.)
Padilla, who heads the Senate committee on public information and mass media, was conducting an inquiry into sexual abuse allegations against two contractors of TV network GMA when he posed this question on Thursday.
“Halimbawa po, syempre hindi mo maaalis sa mag-asawa na ang paniwala — lalo kami o ako — meron kang sexual rights sa asawa mo eh. So halimbawa, hindi mo naman pinipili eh kung kailan ka in heat. So paano ‘yun kapag ayaw ng asawa mo? Wala pong ibang paraan talaga para maano ‘yung lalaki? So paano yun? Mambababae ka na lang ba? Eh di kasong kaso na naman ‘yun,” Padilla said.
(For example, of course, you cannot remove this belief among married partners – especially for us, me – that you have sexual rights to your partner. So for example, you can’t choose the time when you’ll be in heat. So what if your wife doesn’t want to? Wouldn’t there be any way to satisfy the husband? What would happen, should we just resort to adultery? That is another case.)
In response, Kapunan said a woman’s refusal to have sex is “not arbitrary,” adding it is important for married partners to take note of the importance of mutual respect.
Women’s group Gabriela on Friday slammed Padilla for his “line of questioning” which they said reeks of “machismo” and “misogyny.”
READ: Robin’s language reeks of ‘misogyny’ – Gabriela