‘Consent is non-negotiable’: Women’s group hits Robin Padilla’s remarks on spousal consent

Women’s group Gabriela on Friday denounced the remarks Senator Robin Padilla during a Senate hearing, saying it “perpetuates machismo” and “blatantly disregards women’s autonomy and rights.”

Consensual sex between married partners was at the center of the Senate’s Thursday hearing, leading Padilla to ask: What if the husband is “in the mood” for sex, but the wife refuses, what would happen?

"Di mo maiaalis sa mag-asawa na ang paniwala—lalo kami, ako—meron kang sexual rights sa asawa mo (You cannot take away from spouses the belief—especially us, me—that we have sexual rights to our spouses),” Padilla argued.

“So halimbawa, hindi mo naman pinipili eh kung kailan ka yung 'in heat'. Papano yun pag ayaw ng asawa mo, so wala pong ibang paraan talaga kung para maano yung lalaki? So paano yun, mambababae ka na lang ba? Di kaso na naman yun. Wala ka sa mood, paano ako, nasa mood? (For example, you cannot choose when you go in heat. What will we do if our spouse don’t want to have sex, so there’s no other way for us men to have sex with them? What will we do, have sex with other women? They’re not in the mood, but how about me, I’m in the mood for sex),” he added.

In a statement, Gabriela Secretary-General Clarice Palce said Padilla’s line of questioning “not only disrespects women but also trivializes the serious issue of consent.”

"The audacity to question a woman's right to her own body is a glaring example of the deeply rooted machismo that continues to plague our society," Palce said.

“We’d like to remind Senator Padilla that consent is non-negotiable and must be respected at all times. A woman's right to say 'no' is fundamental and absolute, regardless of marital status," she asserted.  

Gabriela further called for accountability from public officials and urges the public to reject any form of misogyny and gender-based violence and discrimination. 

“We strongly demand accountability and a retraction from Senator Padilla for his macho and dangerous statements!" Palce added.