Browbeaten husbands, or ‘ander de saya’ in local parlance, will be protected from spousal abuse once a bill filed by a neophyte congressman is enacted.
House Bill 4888, or the Anti-Violence Against Partners and their Children (Anti-VAPC) bill, filed by Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles aims to equalize the coverage of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 or Republic Act 9262, to include husbands and other partners under the remit of persons afforded protection by the said law.
Nograles, a lawyer, earlier revealed his plan to file his bill during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum.
The bill also expands the coverage to members of the so-called third sex or the LGBTQ community.
In his explanatory note, Nograles said: "This bill shall prohibit all forms of violence against partners and their children, in private and public life, and provides maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders."
He added that "the bill also expands the covered acts under RA 9262 to include electronic violence done against partners and their children."
Nograles, vice chairman of the House committee on justice, said the bill's main objective is to weed out violence and abuse in relationships regardless of gender.
“We must recognize that there are also male partners who are victims of abuse, yet are unable to report such incidents because of prejudice,” the lawmaker said.
Nograles also seeks to include as an act of violence the creation of fake social media accounts to sow intrigue and inflict harm.
“Any act of violence perpetuated as hate crimes against partners and their children would also be considered a special aggravating circumstance, which would impose the maximum penalty on the violator,” the bill provides.
“The bill is really just a tweak to improve what has been an excellent mechanism to protect the Filipino family,” he added.
“Violence and abuse do not discriminate. Women, men and members of the LGBTQ, may suffer from the deleterious effects of an abusive relationship. It is government’s duty to protect everyone from such situation."
