FEATURE:

No kidding: ‘teen sex’

Can be statutory rape

It can be clean fun.

Close friends deciding to make it out….

And then, parents learn about the relationship and step in.

No, not the sandal-slap on the butt, something much more traumatic.

Court hearings, suits and then, regrets.

Such is the risk of getting sued for statutory rape, which can be more inglorious than rape.

Be aware.

Other than being forced to, threatened and intimidated, statutory rape still remains a crime of concern, even if Bohol crime busters report a 37.6 percent decrease in rape cases recorded in police blotters from January 1 to June 15, 2025 and the same period in 2026.

Camp Francisco Dagohoy Operations Chief Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Fernandez bared this, at the recent joint meetings of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Session Hall, June 29.

Both rape by force and intimidation and statutory rape combined, makes up 88 percent of rape cases in 2026. In 2025, these two rape classifications make up for the 91 percent, data from the police crime statistics show.

Rape by force or intimidation refers to the sexual act occurring through force, threats, intimidation, or when the victim was otherwise incapable of giving valid consent, while statutory rape looks upon the victim’s age to make any sexual act unlawful.

In 2025 alone, rape by force and intimidation makes up for the 50.7% of the total 69 rape cases while statutory rape is 40.57 %.

By 2026, of the same period, rape by force increased to 62.7 % while statutory rape slid down to 25.5 % of the 43 cases recorded, police statistics show.

Based on the same police data, in 2025 of the 68 rape cases, 51 of them were minors, and of the 51 cases, 35 are females.

In the same year (2025), 33 of the females involved in the 68 rape cases are between 11 to 15 years old, and by 2026, 21 of the 43 cases involved were females of the same age bracket.

According to Republic Act 11648 which amended the Revised Penal Code, as long as the victim is below 16 years old, even with what appears to be consent, or whether force, threat or intimidation was used, a case of statutory rape can happen.

As long as the victim is below 16 years old, the prosecution does not need to prove force, threats, or intimidation because the victim, at this age is deemed incapable of giving legal consent, explains a public attorney.

A child under 16 cannot legally consent to sexual intercourse. Even if the child says "yes," the law considers the child incapable of giving valid legal consent.

At the risk of also criminalizing consensual relationships between adolescents, the law provides exceptions.

This applies if the child is at least 14 but below 16 years old, the age difference between the parties is not more than 3 years and the sexual activity is consensual, non-abusive, and non-exploitative and neither party abused a position of authority, trust, or influence.

Between consenting teens and distraught parents, a case of statutory rape can be filed by any aggrieved parent and the case can prosper.

As rape cases in Bohol in 2026 decrease, authorities believe that an information, education, and communication campaign on statutory rape, especially among young teen-agers, who may be consenting with the act, is a task communities have to commit.

Simply, statutory rape is a serious criminal offense and it could carry very severe penalties, including lengthy prison terms.

In fact this aggravates when the offender is a parent, guardian, teacher, or other person in authority, where an even harsher penalty could be meted out. (PIABohol)