FILE PHOTO: Sen. Robinhood Padilla files a proposed measure that would amend Republic Act 8353, or the Anti-Rape Law of 1997 to have a gender-responsive law. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Robin Padilla has sought a Senate inquiry into reported cases of rape and sexual assault within the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
In Senate Resolution No. 1162 filed Monday, Padilla specifically tasked the Senate committee on public information and mass media, which he heads, to conduct the probe aimed at amending the anti-rape law of 1997.
“Public information aids people in making healthier and more enhanced decisions,” the senator said in the resolution.
“Conducting an information campaign about the realities inside organizations like the CPP-NPA can play an important role in discouraging students and the youth [from] joining rebel groups,” he added.
Padilla cited in the resolution some cases of former female communist rebels, who testified in a Senate hearing about the alleged rampant abuses within the CPP-NPA.
One of them was Lady Desiree Miranda, a former chairperson of Anakbayan Central Luzon, who alleged that she was raped by her commander in 2016, molested by her squad leader in 2017, and sexually assaulted by a comrade in 2018.
READ: CHR slams NPA for alleged rape of minors, asks gov’t to resolve issue
Another former rebel, “Ka Shane,” accused her former NPA commander and platoon leader of raping her when she was a combatant at 15 years old. She filed a case against her former squad leader and the platoon vice commander, who she said abused her in 2016 when she was with the Caraballo Guerrilla Front in Nueva Ecija.
The resolution also mentioned a former cadre named Arian Jane Ramos, who alleged in a briefing in 2022 that she personally met with some women who became victims of sexual abuse by their male comrades and commanders.
Incidentally, Padilla’s filing of the resolution came after his controversial remarks about consensual sex between married partners.
READ: Robin Padilla, Lorna Kapunan talk about sex: ‘Respect wife, pray, watch Netflix’
“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 during the hearing of his committee last week.
(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.)
The senator already apologized for those who were offended by his remarks.