Mariel Rodriguez-Padilla has responded to netizens after a four-year-old video resurfaced showing her claiming that her husband, Senator Robin Padilla, had already “passed a law” while he was still incarcerated at the New Bilibid Prison.
Instead of completely backing down from her controversial 2022 statement, Mariel argued that her remarks should not have been interpreted literally, stressing that viewers should consider the context in which she made them.
“Wag kasi i-take literally,” Mariel said as she explained what she supposedly meant by the viral statement.
The controversy stemmed from a vlog released during Robin’s 2022 senatorial campaign, when Mariel defended her husband against questions about his qualifications to become a lawmaker.
“Si Robin nakapagtapos ’yan ng college. Meron siyang degree criminology. Si Robin, nung nasa Bilibid siya, nakapagpasa na ng batas without even being Senator,” she said in the old video.
The clip recently resurfaced and drew another wave of criticism, with netizens pointing out that Robin could not have authored or passed legislation while he was in prison and was not yet a member of Congress at the time.
Mariel has now attempted to explain what she meant.
In a new Facebook video filmed in Samal Island, the TV host began her response with a swipe at her critics.
“Common sense is most uncommon,” she said.
She then acknowledged that only legislators can actually create and pass laws.
“Siyempre, you have to be a legislator to actually make and pass a law. That vlog was made in 2022, when critics were questioning Robin’s qualifications,” Mariel explained.
According to her, the criticism against Robin at the time centered on whether he had enough education and knowledge to perform the legislative duties of a senator.
“Ang sinasabi nila, ‘Walang tinapos na pag-aaral. Marunong ba ’yan gumawa ng batas? Eh ’yan ang trabaho ng senador.’ So I corrected the point they were trying to make,” she said.
Mariel then linked her original statement to Republic Act No. 8294, the 1997 law that amended provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1866 concerning illegal or unlawful possession, manufacture, dealing in, acquisition, or disposition of firearms, ammunition, and explosives.
According to Mariel, Robin’s own case became closely associated with the issue addressed by the law while he was incarcerated.
“When Robin was in Bilibid, his case became closely associated with the issue that RA 8294 addressed—illegal possession of firearms. RA 8294 was enacted in 1997 while he was incarcerated,” she explained.
She then stressed that she knew Robin was not literally responsible for drafting and passing the legislation.
“Now, IF gamitin natin ang talino na binigay sa atin ng Maykapal… sino kaya ang nag-draft at nagpasa ng bill na naging RA 8294?” she asked.
“Obviously, legislators.”
Mariel insisted that her 2022 remark was not meant to suggest that Robin had performed the functions of a legislator from inside Bilibid.
“That was exactly the point. Robin was NOT a senator then, and I never meant that he literally sat in Congress, authored the bill, and voted for its passage,” she said.
Instead, she explained that she was referring to how Robin’s experience with the law gave him firsthand knowledge of how legislation and amendments to existing laws could affect individuals.
“His experience was being cited to show that even before becoming a senator, he had firsthand experience of how laws—and changes in laws—can directly affect a person’s life,” Mariel added.
She ended her explanation with another pointed message to those criticizing her original choice of words.
“Context matters. Comprehension matters too.”
Robin later reposted Mariel’s clarification on his own Facebook page and defended his wife from the renewed criticism.
The senator argued that the resurfacing of Mariel’s 2022 vlog was being used to distract the public from more pressing national concerns, particularly flooding affecting different areas.
“Ika nga ng mga Kano, ‘Wag the Dog!’ Lilihisin lang ang isyu mula sa tunay na isyu, kaya taya ang asawa ko at si carding sungkit,” Robin wrote.
He also questioned why people were focusing on an old vlog while many Filipinos were dealing with severe weather and flooding.
“Mahiya naman kayo! Baka kayo mismo ay binabaha na ngayon, pero ang isyu ninyo ay tungkol pa rin sa vlog ni Mariel noong 2022 at sa misis ni Sen. Bato,” he added.
Mariel’s latest explanation, however, has once again put the wording of her original claim under the spotlight.
While she now explicitly acknowledges that Robin did not literally author or pass a law while incarcerated, she maintains that the context of her statement was about his personal experience with a legal issue that later became associated with changes in firearms law.
