‘Virtual rape’ of a Rodrigo Duterte opponent

For a glimpse into the fate of those who challenge Rodrigo Duterte one need only look to Leila de Lima.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has caused controversy since coming to power with his declaration of a war on drugs.

For a glimpse into the fate of those who publicly challenge Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and his bloody war on drugs, one need only look to his ruthless dismantling of Leila de Lima, the senator who until last month headed an inquiry into extra-judicial killings.

In mid-August he vowed to “destroy” a female government official — widely believed to be former human rights commissioner and ex-justice secretary de Lima — for criticising him.

Until late last month de Lima headed a Senate Inquiry into alleged killing squads during Mr Duterte’s time as mayor of the southern city of Davao.

Since President Duterte came to office on June 30, the number of police and extra-judicial killings of alleged drug addicts and sellers around the country has exceeded 3500.

By late September Duterte’s parliamentary allies had ousted her as inquiry chair amid allegations she tolerated an illegal drug trade inside Bilibid Prison as justice secretary, and even accepted millions of pesos in bribes. She has denied all accusations.

Days later de Lima was forced to leave her home after a witness giving testimony to a separate House of Representatives’ inquiry into the prison drug trade read out her personal phone number and home address in a live televised broadcast, sparking a bombardment of threats and abusive messages.

This week, in what is no doubt intended as her coup de grace, that same house inquiry intends to show a tape of the highly respected senator allegedly having sex with her driver, claiming it is relevant to the corruption allegations against her.

Commenting on the alleged sex tapes last week, Duterte — the man who boasted on the campaign trail of having several girlfriends — called de Lima an “immoral woman”.

“Every time I view the video, I lose my appetite,” he added.

Justice Minister Vitaliano Aguirre and house speaker Pantaleon Alvarez say they see nothing wrong in showing the video if it establishes de Lima’s personal relationship with people behind the proliferation of drugs inside the state penitentiary.

But the public vilification and so-called slut shaming of de Lima has sparked a backlash from Filipino women, including Vice-President Leni Robredo, who say airing the tape would not only be an illegal act but one of gross misogyny.

“As a former legislator, I fail to see how this will contribute to a substantial discussion of the issues being taken up,” Ms Robredo said.

“As a lawyer, I believe that this act may be in violation of penal laws. And as a long-time advocate for human and woman’s rights, I am profoundly disturbed by a proposal that amounts to public shaming of a woman and the infliction of grave harm on her dignity as a human person.”

A group of senior female journalists has also condemned the treatment of de Lima as “virtual rape”.