House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Makabayan Party-list Representative Leila de Lima filed a bill to strengthen protections for women and children against sexual violence.
De Lima filed House Bill 8716, aiming to expand the definition of rape to emphasize the absence of consent, recognize grooming as predatory conduct that may lead to sexual abuse, and impose harsher penalties when the crime is committed by persons in positions of authority or trust. Violators under the measure would face up to 40 years of imprisonment without parole.
De Lima said the bill is meant to reinforce the State’s commitment to protect individuals from sexual violence and exploitation and to uphold their fundamental rights to dignity, safety, and justice. She stressed the need to close gaps in the law that allow perpetrators to evade accountability.
“With these alarming figures, we aim to implement stronger procedural safeguards against sexual exploitation, including mandatory reporting obligations, the prohibition of amicable settlements and affidavits of desistance in rape cases, and better protections for the privacy and identity of victims,” said De Lima, emphasizing the bill’s comprehensive approach.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that in 2023, 11,479 cases of rape involved girls under 16 years old, yet no case was filed under RA 11648 during the same period. According to UNICEF, two million children in the Philippines were subjected to online sexual abuse and exploitation in 2021 alone.
De Lima warned that incidents of sexual violence and abuse remain underreported due to fear, stigma, and barriers to accessing justice. She called on the government to strengthen legal safeguards and enforcement mechanisms to better protect vulnerable populations.
“At a time when cases of rape and sexual abuse on digital platforms remain rampant, and when some government officials and persons in positions of authority or trust tolerate vulgarity and harassment, we urgently need a stronger law to ensure greater accountability,” she said.
