MANILA – Sen. Robinhood Padilla has issued a public apology to those who were offended by some of his statements during a Senate hearing about marital rape in Thursday last week.
In a social media post over the weekend, Padilla clarified that he never said that it was “okay” for husbands to force wives to have sex.
“Sa mga na-offend po o hindi nagustuhan ang aming pagdinig patungkol sa marital rape…mga kababayan, paumanhin po,” the actor-turned-politician said.
“Ang sabi ko, ‘Paano kaming mga lalaki na naniniwala sa sexual rights kapag kami ay in heat?’ Not drunk, not violent, not under influence of any drugs or liquor… [Just] plain love and lust,” he added.
He also stated that, under the Christian Bible, it said that each spouse had conjugal rights to enjoy a healthy sexual relationship, while Muslims believed that husbands must have intercourse that satisfies their wives without harm to their own selves.
It was traditionally recommended by Islamic scholars for married couples to have sex at least once every four months, while some recommended once a month, every four days, or no time limit, Padilla added.
“Bakit po namin nasabi na sexual rights? Lumaki po ako sa Bibliya… Malinaw po doon na ang babae ang nagpapasakop sa lalaki,” Padilla said.
“Most scholars say that it is obligatory on women alike [to] not to refuse their husbands if they call them so long as the woman who is called is not menstruating or sick in such a way that intercourse will be harmful to her, or observing an obligatory fast. If she refuses with no excuse, then she is cursed,” he added.
Padilla stated that, during the Senate hearing, he was only listening, posing questions, and explaining to resource speakers.
“[Ang resource speaker] ang makakasagot sa tanong ko kung ano ang sinasabi ng batas ng tao sa marital obligation[s]. Hindi nga rape ang punto ko, ang punto ay kung ano ang pwedeng gawin ng asawang lalaki para maging legal ang paghingi ng sex ng isang lalaki at hindi maging rape. Wala akong sinabi na okay ang pilitin ang babae [na mag-sex],” Padilla said.
Padilla ended his statement by encouraging the public to continue discussing and sharing the hearings to remain well informed. He also reassured that he also had an existing resolution to aid victims of sexual harassment./PN
