Republika
ng
Pilipinas
Komisyon ng Karapatang Pantao ng Pilipinas
(Commission
on Human Rights of the
Philippines)
GENDER OMBUD ADVISORY
U p h o l d W o m e n ' s H u m a n Rights, Stop the showing
of alleged 'sex video' - C H R
CHR-A2016-006
T h e C o m m i s s i o n , as a N a t i o n a l H u m a n Rights Institution and as
G e n d e r O m b u d u n d e r t h e M a g n a C a r t a o f W o m e n calls o n legislators
to respect w o m e n ' s h u m a n rights a n d t o stop using their power o f
investigation i n aid o flegislation t o perpetuate discrimination and
violence against w o m e n .
T h e C o m m i s s i o n is gravely concerned w i t h the recent threats o f
t h e S e c r e t a r y o f J u s t i c e a n d s o m e l e g i s l a t o r s t o s h o w t h e alleged 'sex
videos' of Senator Leila deL i m a during the House Probe o n the Bilibid
d r u g t r a d e . T h r e a t e n i n g t o s h o w t h e alleged 'sex v i d e o ' is clearly a f o r m
of psychological violence. I t h a s exposed t h e pervasive nature o f
g e n d e r - b a s e d d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a s i n t h e p r e s e n t case, s u c h r e p e a t e d
t h r e a t o f s h o w i n g t h e alleged 'sex v i d e o ' s h o w s u t t e r l a c k o f respect f o r
t h e d i g n i t y a n d p r i v a c y o f a p r o m i n e n t w o m a n legislator a n d is clearly
meant to shame her.
I n v i e w of these developments, w e reiterate our previous H u m a n
R i g h t s A d v i s o r y o n t h e p r o d u c t i o n a n d d i s t r i b u t i o n o f 'sex videos.' W e
reiterate t h a t such acts constitute a v i o l a t i o n o f h u m a n rights - t h e
right to dignity a n d privacy a n d the right against discrimination.
The International Covenant o n Civil and PoliticalRights (ICCPR)
and the Philippine Constitution enshrine the right o f all persons t o
dignity a n d privacy. T h e Convention o n the Elimination of A l l F o r m s
of Discrimination Against W o m e n ( C E D A W ) and the Magna Carta o f
W o m e n ( R A 9710) prohibit all f o r m s o f discrimination against w o m e n
including violence against w o m e n .
L i k e w i s e , t h e s h o w i n g o f t h e alleged 'sex v i d e o ' is a clear v i o l a t i o n
of the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism L a w (R.A. 9995). The law
specifically p r o h i b i t s a n d penalizes t h e publication a n d broadcast,
whether i n print or broadcast media, or the showing o rexhibit of the
p h o t o o r v i d e o coverage o r recordings o f s u c h sexual act o r a n y s i m i l a r
Karapatang Pantao: Likas s§ Atin, Tungkul
Commonwealth Avenue. U.P. Complex, Diliman 1101 Quez
Tel. Nos. 927-0172 • 928-2018 • 928-5655