Showing of De Lima sex videos is illegal, Poe warns House

THE House of Representatives’ reported plan to show the alleged sex scandal of Senator Leila de Lima would be a violation of the law, Senator Grace Poe said on Wednesday.

READ: Alvarez: Nothing wrong if De Lima sex video shown in probe

“I have reservations about the legality of the playing of alleged sex video, which will violate the very law that Congress passed,” Poe said in a text message.

She cited Section 4 of Republic Act 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, which she said “expressly prohibits and declares unlawful the showing of photo or video coverage or recordings of such sexual act or any similar activity through VCD/DVD, internet, cellular phones and other similar means or device.”

“It will serve no legal and practical purpose as the law makes such unlawful act of showing inadmissible in evidence in any judicial, quasi-judicial, legislative or administrative hearing or investigation,” Poe said.

Neophyte Senator Risa Hontiveros said the reported plan to play the alleged video was “clearly a case of misogyny.”

“It is terrible. I don’t see how the showing of fake sex videos will promote the interest of truth and justice,” Hontiveros said in another text message.

“This is no different from the abuse suffered by women who are being blackmailed by former husbands or partners who threaten to post their alleged sex videos on social media in order to shame them.”

She said the House must not entertain this “contemptible proposal.”

“To borrow a phrase, as for Senator Leila: I’m with her,”   Hontiveros said.