A battle of the sexes loomed at the House of Representatives as lady solons assailed an alleged bid by the Department of Justice to present before the House Committee on Justice hearing an alleged sex video purportedly involving Sen. Leila M. de Lima.
Congresswomen launched a signature drive calling on “men of the House of Representatives” to observe “circumspection and sobriety” as the DoJ allegedly pushed to present the alleged sex video of De Lima when the committee hearing resumes on Wednesday.
“We humbly ask the House leadership to exercise sound judgment in these times. Let inter-parliamentary courtesy and decency prevail in the ongoing investigation on the drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison,” the manifesto read.
It added: “As women, we take offense in any action that intends to shame and demean us, regardless of being citizens or senators.”
The Senate leadership also rejected the plan to play the sex video.
Senate President Koko Pimentel yesterday sought Alvarez to discuss the sensitive issue. Alvarez would be asked to use his influence so that the committee would not air the sex video during the hearing in the spirit of inter-parliamentary courtesy, a source close to Pimentel said.
Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs, said the playing of the sex video is “highly inappropriate.’’ (Ben R. Rosario and Mario B. Casayuran)