Composite of Danilo Suarez and Leila de Lima

MANILA - House Minority Leader Danilo Suarez said Wednesday that the lower House's minority bloc had no intention to derogate women in light of the planned showing of Senator Leila de Lima's alleged sex video at the Committee on Justice hearing.

Suarez denounced allegations that he was in favor of showing De Lima's alleged sex tape in Congress, adding that the minority bloc was after all against it.

"Wala naman kaming napag-usapan tungkol doon sa case ni Sec. De Lima so I'm totally puzzled and surprised why my name is being mentioned. What we've said is somewhat defending her right by the decision of board members that we will disapprove the suggested showing of those tapes in the executive session of the committee on justice," Suarez said.

"Baka may ibang nagsabi sa kanya (De Lima) na hindi tama ang pagkaka-quote sa sinabi namin. (Perhaps someone relayed wrong information to her and misquoted us.) I think most of those questions and answers were recorded. So, well, that's it," he added.

Suarez maintained that the minority bloc did not come up with any derogatory remark against De Lima.

"In (all) fairness to the minority that were present, we did not come up with any derogatory or untoward remarks about her (De Lima)," Suarez explained.

The lawmaker emphasized that he has utmost respect for the rights of women, even uttering in jest that he is scared of his wife.

"It's very untoward statement. I may not be able to know clearly what's the Magna Carta for Women, but please tell her that I always observe the rights of women," Suarez said.

"As a matter of fact, takot na takot ako sa asawa ko," he said in jest.