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Jose Rodel Clapano - The Philippine Star
March 29, 2026 | 12:00am
Filed 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.
STAR / File
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.
Filed 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.
“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.
“By strengthening definitions, penalties and accountability mechanisms, this measure aims to reinforce the State’s commitment to protect individuals from sexual violence and exploitation and to uphold their fundamental rights to dignity, safety and justice,” it added.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, De Lima revealed that there were 11,479 rape cases involving girls below 16 years old in 2023, yet no case was filed under RA 11648 during the same period.
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.
“At a time when cases of rape and sexual abuse on digital platforms remain rampant, and when some government officials and persons in positions of authority or trust tolerate vulgarity and harassment, we urgently need a stronger law to ensure greater accountability,” she added.
Under the proposed measure, violators may face up to 40 years imprisonment without parole.
Aside from HB 8716, De Lima also filed HB 8717, which seeks to strengthen RA 11313 or the “Safe Spaces Act” by imposing stiffer penalties for violations and enhancing protections against gender-based sexual harassment.
