Lady senators make a stand vs. showing of De Lima ‘sex tape’

All five female senators have signed a Senate resolution condemning the plan of the House of Representatives to show the alleged sex video of their colleague, Senator Leila de Lima, in a congressional probe.

Resolution 184 was introduced by Senator Risa Hontiveros and was signed thereafter by Senators Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, and Loren Legarda.

The resolution expresses "the sense of the Senate" saying that the proposal to show De Lima's alleged sex video is "illegal, violative of inter-parliamentary courtesy and decency, and an affront to women's dignity."

The senators argued that showing the video will violate the Anti-Photo or Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, as well as the Anti Wiretapping Law.

“It also violates the time-honored principle of inter-parliamentary courtesy, given that Sen. De Lima is a sitting senator and should therefore not be subjected to the ridicule and ignominy of a purported sex video,” the resolution read.

“More importantly, it is a blow to our collective struggle to uplift the dignity of the woman, respect her agency and her autonomy over her own body, and is a form of slut-shaming that will not set a good example for the country,” it added.

Hontiveros said the senators crossed party lines to oppose what she described as a "state-sponsored sexism."

“Our sisterhood and strong bond and solidarity as women brought us together to oppose the misogyny and sexism of those who think we are lesser beings and thus, deserve to be shamed," Hontiveros said.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez last Wednesday said he sees nothing wrong if the alleged sex video of De Lima and her former driver and alleged lover, Ronnie Dayan, would be played during the House inquiry on the alleged proliferation of drugs inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).

Alvarez said the video should be shown only if it would help establish De Lima's personal relationships with people who could be behind the NBP drug trade. —KBK, GMA News