Group says rape not a laughing matter, cites cases 'involving' soldiers

Another women's group cried foul at President Rodrigo Duterte's latest rape joke in connection with his declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

Women human rights association Tanggol Bayi said in a statement on Saturday that rape as a "heinous crime" is "never a laughing matter."

The group said countless incidents of rape have been perpetrated by military, paramilitary and police officers "before, during and after Marcos' Martial Law" while at least 12 rape cases were documented by human rights alliance Karapatan during former President Benigno Aquino's administration.

Tanggal Bayi, which is a member of Karapatan, said that by making the joke, Duterte "encouraged" the military to continue these alleged crimes.

"President Duterte, in his most recent rape joke, is preaching to a monstrous choir. He encouraged a known fascist institution, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to do exactly what it has been doing," the group said.

Most offenders, Tanggal Bayi added, have not been prosecuted or punished despite "laws criminalizing rape, the Magna Carta of Women, and international instruments protecting women's rights."

Though they stand by the government's fight against terror in Marawi City, Tanggol Bayi remained firm against persons looking to use martial law as an excuse to perpetrate any form of human rights violations.

"While we continue to stand against groups that inflict terror on the people of Marawi, we stand against any form of human rights violations by the State, especially by its instruments of war against the people emboldened by Duterte's martial law declaration in Mindanao," Tanggal Bayi said.

Duterte's joke during his speech to the 2nd Mechanized Infantry (Magbalantay) Brigade of the Philippine Army in Iligan City garnered much criticism from other women's groups and women's rights activists over the weekend.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said the rape joke is "a violation of the Bill of Rights [which] is not suspended by Martial Law."

Gabriela Women's Party said described Duterte's rape joke as the "height of insensitivity" as it might embolden soldiers to "systematically use rape as a tool of war and subject women to further abuse and impunity."

Clinton Foundation board member Chelsea Clinton also reviled the joke calling Duterte a "murderous thug" for the human rights violations purportedly committed under his administration. —Rie Takumi/ALG, GMA News