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Friday, March 29, 2024

3 senators buck replay of sex video

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THE plan to play the alleged sex videos of Senator Leila De Lima during a hearing of the House committee on justice would be illegal, three Liberal Party senators said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon and Senators Francis Pangilinan and Bam Aquino said  playing De Lima’s alleged sex videos would violate the law and disrespect her and the office she holds. 

“We vehemently oppose the plan of the House of Representatives to show the alleged videos as disrespectful, deplorable and illegal,” the senators said in their statement.

Senator Franklin Drilon

They said playing the videos would violate the Anti-Voyeurism Law.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said Wednesday he saw nothing wrong about playing De Lima’s alleged sex videos during a hearing of the committee on justice.

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That committee is investigating the alleged proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison when De Lima was Justice secretary. 

The Duterte administration claims that De Lima’s driver and partner in the alleged sex videos collected drug money for her from the national penitentiary”•money that she could use to run for senator this year.

But not everyone agreed with Alvarez.        

“We appeal to the members of House of Representatives to be more circumspect about our larger roles as legislators: safe keepers of governance traditions and examples to our children,” the three senators said.

On Wednesday, Drilon said he believed that inter-parliamentary courtesy called for respect and courtesy to a fellow legislator. 

He urged Senate President Aquilino Pimentel and Alvarez to meet to discuss the plan to show the alleged sex videos. 

In reaction, Pimentel warned his fellow legislators to be ready “to pay the political price” once they played the alleged sex videos.

“We cannot be impeached, but we should be ready to pay the political price for our actions,” he said.

Senator Cynthia Villar said regardless of the identity of the woman in the videos, a woman’s dignity and rights would be violated with their showing. 

“I implore our honorable colleagues in Congress to proceed with decency in dealing with this matter,” she said.

Senator Nancy Binay said the attacks against De Lima were already out of bounds without showing the alleged sex videos.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said showing the alleged sex videos would be too much and foul, and Senator Panfilo Lacson said it would be inappropriate.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said showing the alleged sex videos would be “clearly a case of misogyny.”

Senator Grace Poe said she had reservations about the legality of playing the alleged sex videos.

“It will serve no legal and practical purpose,” Poe said. 

Senator Manny Pacquiao said the videos should be shown if needed in the investigation for the truth to come out. 

He had seen the videos but he wasn’t sure whether or not the woman in it was De Lima.

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