A bill that seeks to increase the age in determining statutory rape to 16 years old has inched closer to becoming a law after the House of Representatives on Thursday ratified its bicameral conference committee report.
Rep. Cheryl P. Deloso-Montalla, chairman of the House Committee on Revision of Laws, hailed the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the disagreeing provisions of Senate Bill 2332 and House Bill 7836 on increasing the age in determining statutory rape.
Deloso-Montalla pointed out that the enactment into law of the bill has been “long overdue” as it provides stronger protection against rape and sexual exploitation and abuse. The current age in determining statutory rape is 12 years old.
“In the report, we determined that the age of statutory rape be set to under 16 years of age in view of the global standard on statutory rape age,” Deloso-Montalla said in a news statement.
“We also aligned with this bill the age of consent in other crimes under the criminal code and other anti-child abuse and exploitation laws like the RA 7610,” she added.
Deloso-Montalla, the representative of the 2nd District of Zambales, disclosed that the bicameral report included a “close-in relationship” or “sweet-heart clause” that seeks to recognize the “legitimate relationship between two teenagers” that is in consonance with the age of criminal liability under existing laws.
“The enactment of this bill is long overdue as the data scream loudly and clearly speak that the crime of rape remains rampant in the country. What we know are the reported cases, but the true statistics may be higher considering that there are a lot of unreported and unaccounted cases of rape and other forms of sexual abuse and exploitation that are happening,” she said.
“Now that we have ratified the bicam report on the anti-stat rape bill, it is now a step closer to becoming a law! We will always endure to ascertain that our children are given optimum protection under our laws and within the bounds of the democratic society that we have,” she added.
The bill was approved on third reading by the House on December 1, 2020.
