Senate OK's resolution to oppose plans to show 'sex video' in House probe

The Senate adopted today a resolution that sought to oppose plans of showing an alleged sex video of Senator Leila de Lima in the ongoing probe of the House of Representatives on the drug trade within the New Bilibid Prison.

Senate Resolution No. 184, introduced by Senator Risa Hontiveros along with Senators Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, Grace Poe and Cynthia Villar, was unanimously approved during the plenary session headed by Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III. Hontiveros is the chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.

After a motion by Senate Majority Leader Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, all other senators were made co-authors of the resolution.

According to the resolution, the proposal to show the alleged "sex" video attributed to De Lima "is illegal, violative of inter-parliamentary courtesy and decency, and an affront to women's dignity."

"Showing this video violates Republic Act 9995 or the "Anti Photo or Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, and Republic Act 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Law," the resolution pointed out.

The resolution said that proceeding with the showing of the video would violate 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."

"Most 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," the resolution said.

Hontiveros said in her privilege speech that the resolution addressed the core issue regarding the video: "the systemic and structural machismo that pervades our political culture."

"If we stand by in silence while our colleagues in the House perpetrate this indignity against a fellow senator, we have chosen vulgarity over civility, misogyny over basic respect and decency," she said.

During the session, de Lima thanked the senators for their support of the resolution:"In all sincerity and humility, I wish to express my profound appreciation to my dear colleagues for this gesture. Maraming maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat."

Several House members have earlier stated that the video, which allegedly depicted the senator in "acts of a sexual nature," can be used as evidence in relation to de Lima's links to the drug - related activities at the Bilibid Penitentiary.