Marital rape in the Philippines has been given a poster woman in the person of Sunshine Cruz, a Filipina actress who belongs to a prominent show business clan. With the topic of rape remaining a taboo in the majority Roman Catholic country, a celebrity filing rape charges against her husband will surely create headlines.

Sunshine filed on Tuesday her complaint, alleging that her husband, award-winning actor Cesar Montano, allegedly raped her on May 12, 2013, which is Mother's Day. She filed the affidavit before Assistant City Prosecutor Edilu Hayag of the Quezon City Hall of Justice, accompanied by her lawyer, Attorney Bonifacio Alentajan who happens to be also the wedding sponsor of the estranged couple.

Source: Ultimatefan.blog.com

Cruz, in her affidavit, characterised Montana as a domineering and philandering husband. Montano was a widower and had adult kids when he married Cruz about 12 years ago. They have three young daughters aged 11, 8 and 7, but have separated because of Cesar's allegedly having a mistress, a starlet named Krista Miller.

Sunshine recalled that on Mother's Day while she was alone in her house, Cesar violently attacked, used physical violence and forced himself on her. Along with her rape complaint, Cruz has sought a court protection order against Montano, best known for portraying the life of Philippine national hero, Dr Jose Rizal, in the epic film Bayani.

The Philippines is one of 104 countries that had criminalised marital rape in 2004 when Congress approved the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act. Because of the prominent personalities involved, the case would surely generate media publicity, although it is not the first marital rape case successfully prosecuted in the Philippines.

In 2011, the second case resulted in life imprisonment for a man named Jose who was declared guilty by the Regional Trial Court Branch 12 in Davao City on two counts of marital rape, which occurred on Dec 21, 2004, just barely 10 months after their wedding on April 14 the same year. The first conviction was meted by RTC Branch 17 Judge Renato Fuentes.