De Lima wants tougher laws on rape, abuseFiled on March 23, De Lima introduced House Bill (HB) 8716, which seeks to expand the definition of rape to emphasize the absence of consent, recognize grooming as a form of 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. MANILA, Philippines — Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has filed a measure seeking to strengthen protections for individuals, especially women and children, against rape and sexual violence. “By amending RA 8353, RA 11648 (signed in 2022) strengthened legal framework against rape and sexual abuse, including raising the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old. However, despite these legislative measures, rape and sexual exploitation, particularly against women and children, remain serious and persistent concerns,” HB 8716 read. She also noted that, based on data from the United Nations Children’s Fund, around two million children in the Philippines were subjected to online sexual abuse and exploitation in 2021 alone.

Source: Philippine Star March 28, 2026 16:32 UTC