1

THE REVISED PENAL CODE

(Act No. 3815 as Amended)

AN ACT REVISING THE PENAL CODE

AND OTHER PENAL LAWS
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Legislature assembled and by
the authority of the same:
Preliminary Article. This law shall be known as
The Revised Penal Code.

Book One
GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING
THE DATE OF ENFORCEMENT AND
APPLICATION OF THE PROVISIONS
OF THIS CODE, AND REGARDING THE
OFFENSES, THE PERSONS LIABLE AND
THE PENALTIES
Preliminary Title

DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS AND APPLICATION

OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CODE
ARTICLE 1. Time when Act takes effect. This
1

THE REVISED PENAL CODE

Art. 2

Code shall take effect on the First day of January,

nineteen hundred and thirty-two.
ART. 2. Application of its provisions. Except
as provided in the treaties and laws of preferential
application, the provisions of this Code shall be enforced
not only within the Philippine Archipelago, including its
atmosphere, its interior waters and maritime zone, but
also outside of its jurisdiction, against those who:
1. Should commit an offense while on a Philippine
ship or airship;
2. Should forge or counterfeit any coin or currency
note of the Philippine Islands or obligations and
securities issued by the Government of the Philippine
Islands;
3. Should be liable for acts connected with the
introduction into these islands of the obligations and
securities mentioned in the preceding number;
4. While being public officers or employees, should
commit an offense in the exercise of their functions; or
5. Should commit any of the crimes against
national security and the law of nations, defined in Title
One of Book Two of this Code.

Title One

FELONIES AND CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH

AFFECT CRIMINAL LIABILITY
Chapter One
FELONIES
ART. 3. Definitions. Acts and omissions punishable by law are felonies (delitos).
Felonies are committed not only by means of deceit
(dolo) but also by means of fault (culpa).
There is deceit when the act is performed with
deliberate intent; and there is fault when the wrongful
act results from imprudence, negligence, lack of foresight,
or lack of skill.
ART. 4. Criminal liability. Criminal liability
shall be incurred:
1. By any person committing a felony (delito)
although the wrongful act done be different from that
which he intended.
2. By any person performing an act which would
be an offense against persons or property, were it not for
the inherent impossibility of its accomplishment or on
account of the employment of inadequate or ineffectual
means.
ART. 5. Duty of the court in connection with acts
3

THE
REVISED PENAL CODE
OF THE PHILIPPINES
with Special Penal Laws

Compiled and Edited by:

RBSI EDITORIAL STAFF

2011

Published & Distributed by

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i
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Philippine Copyright, 2011

by

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ISBN 978-971-23-5901-9
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ISBN 978-971-23-5901-9

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789712 359019

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ii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
BOOK ONE
GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING THE DATE OF
ENFORCEMENT AND APPLICATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CODE, AND REGARDING THE
OFFENSES, THE PERSONS LIABLE AND THE PENALTIES
Preliminary Title Date of Effectiveness and
Application of the Provisions of this Code ................

Title One FELONIES AND CIRCUMSTANCES

WHICH AFFECT CRIMINAL LIABILITY ..........

Chapter I. Felonies ................................................

Chapter II. Justifying Circumstances and
Circumstances which exempt
from Criminal Liability .............................
Chapter III. Circumstances which Mitigate
Criminal Liability ......................................
Chapter IV. Circumstances which Aggravate
Criminal Liability ......................................
Chapter V. Alternative Circumstances ................

9
12

Title Two PERSONS CRIMINALLY LIABLE

FOR FELONIES ......................................................

13

Title Three PENALTIES .............................................

15

Chapter I. Penalties in General ............................

Chapter II. Classication of Penalties .................

15
16

iii

6
8

Chapter III. Duration and Effect of Penalties .....

Section 1. Duration of Penalties ...................
Section 2. Effects of the penalties
according to their respective
nature .........................................................
Section 3. Penalties in which other
accessory penalties are inherent ...............
Chapter IV. Application of Penalties ...................
Section 1. Rules for the application
of penalties to the persons
criminally liable and for the
graduation of the same ..............................
Section 2. Rules for the application of
penalties with regard to the
mitigating and aggravating
circumstances, and habitual
delinquency ................................................
Section 3. Provisions common in the
last two preceding sections ........................
Chapter V. Execution and Service of
Penalties .....................................................
Section 1. General Provisions .......................
Section 2. Execution of Principal
Penalties .....................................................
Title Four EXTINCTION OF CRIMINAL
LIABILITY ................................................................
Chapter I. Total Extinction of Criminal
Liability ......................................................
Chapter II. Partial Extinction of Criminal
Liability ......................................................

18
18

20
24
26

26

32
41
44
44
48

52

52
54

Title Five CIVIL LIABILITY ......................................

56

Chapter I. Persons Civilly Liable for Felonies .....

Chapter II. What Civil Liability Includes ............

56
58

iv

Chapter III. Extinction and Survival

of Civil Liability .........................................

60

BOOK TWO
CRIMES AND PENALTIES
Title One CRIMES AGAINST NATIONAL
SECURITY AND THE LAW OF NATIONS .........
Chapter I. Crimes Against National Security .....
Section 1. Treason and espionage ................
Section 2. Provoking war and disloyalty
in case of war .............................................
Section 3. Piracy and mutiny on the
high seas or in Philippine waters .............
Title Two CRIMES AGAINST THE
FUNDAMENTAL LAW OF THE STATE ............
Chapter I. Arbitrary Detention or Expulsion,
Violation of Dwelling, Prohibition,
Interruption, and Dissolution of
Peaceful Meeting and Crimes Against
Religious Worship ......................................
Section 1. Arbitrary detention and
expulsion ....................................................
Section 2. Violation of domicile ....................
Section 3. Prohibition, interruption, and
dissolution of peaceful meetings ...............
Section 4. Crimes against religious
worship .......................................................

62
62
62
64
65

66

66
66
68
69
70

Title Three CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC

ORDER .....................................................................

71

Chapter I. Rebellion, Coup detat, Sedition,

and Disloyalty ............................................

71

Chapter II. Crimes Against Popular

Representation ...........................................
Section 1. Crimes against legislative
bodies and similar bodies ..........................
Section 2. Violation of parliamentary
immunity ....................................................
Chapter III. Illegal Assemblies and
Associations ................................................
Chapter IV. Assault upon, and Resistance
and Disobedience to Persons in
Authority and their Agents .......................
Chapter V. Public Disorders .................................
Chapter VI. Evasion of Service of Sentence .........
Chapter VII. Commission of Another Crime
During Service of Penalty Imposed
for Another Previous Offense ....................
Title Four CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC
INTEREST ................................................................
Chapter I. Forgeries ..............................................
Section 1. Forging the seal of the
Government of the Philippine
Islands, the signature or stamp
of the Chief Executive ................................
Section 2. Counterfeiting coins .....................
Section 3. Forging treasury or bank
notes, obligations and securities;
importing and uttering false or forged
notes, obligations and securities ...............
Section 4. Falsication of legislative,
public, commercial, and private
documents and wireless, telegraph and telephone messages ..................
Section 5. Falsication of medical
certicates, certicates of merit
or service and the like ................................
vi

76
76
76
77

78
81
84

85

87
87

87
88

89

91

94

Section 6. Manufacturing, importing

and possession of instruments or
implements intended for the
commission of falsication ......................... 94
Chapter II. Other Falsities .................................. 95
Section 1. Usurpation of authority, rank,
title, and improper use of names,
uniforms and insignia ............................... 95
Section 2. False testimony ............................ 96
Chapter III. Frauds ............................................... 98
Section 1. Machinations, monopolies
and combinations ....................................... 98
Section 2. Frauds in commerce and
industry ...................................................... 100
Title Five CRIMES RELATIVE TO OPIUM
AND OTHER PROHIBITED DRUGS .................. 104
Title Six CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC
MORALS ................................................................... 107
Chapter I. Gambling and Betting ......................... 107
Chapter II. Offenses Against Decency
and Good Customs ..................................... 110
Title Seven CRIMES COMMITTED BY
PUBLIC OFFICERS ............................................... 113
Chapter I. Preliminary Provisions .......................
Chapter II. Malfeasance and Misfeasance
in Ofce ......................................................
Section 1. Dereliction of duty ........................
Section 2. Bribery .........................................
Chapter III. Frauds and Illegal Exactions
and Transactions .......................................
Chapter IV. Malversation of Public Funds
or Property .................................................
vii

113
113
113
115
117
119

Chapter V. Indelity of Public Ofcers ................

Section 1. Indelity in the custody
of prisoners .................................................
Section 2. Indelity in the custody
of documents ..............................................
Section 3. Revelation of secrets .....................
Chapter VI. Other Offenses or Irregularities
by Public Ofcers .......................................
Section 1. Disobedience, refusal of
assistance, and maltreatment
of prisoners .................................................
Section 2. Anticipation, prolongation
and abandonment of the duties
and powers of public ofce..........................
Section 3. Usurpation of powers and
unlawful appointments .............................
Section 4. Abuses against chastity ...............

122
122
123
124
125

125

127
128
129

Title Eight CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS .............. 131

Chapter I. Destruction of Life ...............................
Section 1. Parricide, murder, homicide .......
Section 2. Infanticide and abortion ..............
Section 3. Duel................................................
Chapter II. Physical Injuries .................................
Chapter III. Rape ..................................................

131
131
135
136
137
140

Title Nine CRIMES AGAINST PERSONAL

LIBERTY AND SECURITY ................................... 145
Chapter I. Crimes Against Liberty .......................
Section 1. Illegal detention ...........................
Section 2. Kidnapping of minors ..................
Section 3. Slavery and Servitude .................
Chapter II. Crimes Against Security ...................
Section 1. Abandonment of helpless
persons and exploitation of minors ...........
Section 2. Trespass to dwelling ...................
viii

145
145
147
147
148
148
151

Section 3. Threats and coercion .................... 152

Chapter III. Discovery and Revelation
of Secrets .................................................... 155
Title Ten CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY ............ 157
Chapter I. Robbery in General .............................
Section 1. Robbery with violence against
or intimidation of persons ........................
Section 2. Robbery by the use of force
upon things ................................................
Chapter II. Brigandage .........................................
Chapter III. Theft ..................................................
Chapter IV. Usurpation ........................................
Chapter V. Culpable Insolvency ...........................
Chapter VI. Swindling and Other Deceits ...........
Chapter VII. Chattel Mortgage ............................
Chapter VIII. Arson and Other Crimes
Involving Destructions ..............................
Chapter IX. Malicious Mischief ............................
Chapter X. Exemption From Criminal
Liability in Crimes Against Property .......

157
157
160
164
165
168
168
169
174
174
182
184

Title Eleven CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY .......... 185

Chapter I. Adultery and Concubinage .................
Chapter II. Rape and Acts of Lasciviousness ......
Chapter III. Seduction, Corruption of Minors,
and White Slave Trade ..............................
Chapter IV. Abduction ..........................................
Chapter V. Provisions Relative to the
Preceding Chapters of Title Eleven ..........

185
186
187
189
189

Title Twelve CRIMES AGAINST THE

CIVIL STATUS OF PERSONS .............................. 192
Chapter I. Simulation of Births and
Usurpation of Civil Status ........................ 192
ix

Chapter II. Illegal Marriages ................................ 193

Title Thirteen CRIMES AGAINST HONOR ........... 195
Chapter I. Libel .....................................................
Section 1. Denition, forms and punishment of this crime ......................................
Section 2. General Provisions .......................
Chapter II. Incriminatory Machinations .............

195
195
197
199

Title Fourteen QUASI-OFFENSES ........................... 201

Sole Chapter Criminal Negligence ....................... 201
Title Fifteen FINAL PROVISIONS ........................... 204

APPENDICES
A
B
C
D

Indeterminate Sentence Law (R.A. No. 4103,

as amended) ...........................................................
Probation Law of 1976 (P.D. No. 968,
as amended) ...........................................................
Act Providing for Enforcement of Conditions
of Pardon (Act No. 1524) .......................................
Act Establishing Prescriptive Periods
for Violations of Special Laws and
Municipal Ordinances (Act No. 3326,
as amended) ...........................................................
Decree Providing for Rewards and
Incentives to Government Witnesses
and Informants (P.D. No. 1731) ............................
Decree Providing Immunity from Criminal
Prosecution to Government Witnesses
(P.D. No. 1732) .......................................................
Witness Protection, Security and Benet
Act (R.A. No. 6981) ................................................
x

211
217
232

234

236

242
248

Decree Penalizing Obstruction of

Apprehension and Prosecution of Criminal
Offenders (P.D. No. 1829) .....................................
I Anti-Wire Tapping Act (R.A. No. 4200).................
J Act Dening Certain Rights
of Persons Arrested, Detained or Under
Custodial Investigation (R.A. No. 7438) ...............
K The Child and Youth Welfare Code
(P.D. No. 603, as amended) ..................................
L Special Protection of Children Against
Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination
Act (R.A. No. 7610, as amended) ..........................
M Anti-Trafcking in Persons Act of 2003
(R.A. No. 9208)........................................................
N Anti-Violence Against Women and Their
Children Act of 2004 (R.A. No. 9262) ....................
O Act Prohibiting the Imposition of Death
Penalty in the Philippines (R.A. No. 9346) ...........
P Espionage Law (C.A. No. 616) ...............................
Q Philippine Extradition Law (P.D. No. 1069) ........
R Act Increasing the Penalties for Illegal
Number Games (R.A. No. 9287) ............................
S Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
(R.A. No. 3019, as amended) ................................
T Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards
for Public Ofcials and Employees
(R.A. No. 6713, as amended) .................................
U Anti-Plunder Act (R.A. No. 7080,
as amended) ..........................................................
V Act Declaring Forfeiture of Ill-gotten
Wealth of Public Ofcers and Employees
(R.A. No. 1379) .......................................................
W Act Punishing the Receiving and
Giving of Gifts of Public Ofcials and
Employees (P.D. No. 46) ........................................
X Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995
(R.A. No. 7877) .......................................................
xi

259
262

266
271

280
308
330
358
360
371
380
389

400
417

422

428
430

Y
Z
Z-1

Anti-Hazing Law (R.A. No. 8049) ......................

Anti-Fencing Law of 1979 (P.D. No. 1612) ........
Implementing Rules and Regulations of
P.D. No. 1612 .....................................................
AA Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972 (R.A. No. 6539) ...
BB Anti-Hijacking Law (R.A. No. 6235) ..................
CC Anti-Piracy and Anti-Highway Robbery
Law of 1974 (P.D. No. 532) .................................
DD Anti-Cattle Rustling Law of 1974
(P.D. No. 533) ......................................................
EE Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission
Lines/Materials Pilferage Act of 1994
(R.A. No. 7832, as amended) ..............................
FF Bouncing Checks Law (B.P. Blg. 22) .................
FF-1 Administrative Circular No. 12-2000
Re: Penalty for Violation of B.P. Blg. 22.............
FF-2 Administrative Circular No. 13-2001
Clarication of Administrative Circular
No. 12-2000 ..........................................................
GG Decree Increasing the Penalty for Certain
Forms or Estafa (P.D. No. 1689) ........................
HH Penal Provisions of Intellectual Property
Code (R.A. No. 8293) ...........................................
II
Denition and Penalty for Illegal Recruitment
under the Migrant Workers and Overseas
Filipinos Act of 1995 (R.A. No. 8042) .................
JJ
Decree Prescribing Heavy Penalty for
Theft by Employees and Laborers
(P.D. No. 133) ......................................................
KK Act Prohibiting the Demand of Deposits
or Advance Payments for the Connement
or Treatment of Patients in Hospitals and
Medical Clinics in Certain Cases (B.P.
Blg. 702, as amended by R.A. No. 8344) ............
LL Decree Codifying the Laws on Illegal/
Unlawful Possession, Manufacture,
Dealing in, Acquisition or Disposition,
xii

435
441
445
454
463
468
472

476
491
494

497
500
502

506

534

536

 of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives

(P.D. No. 1866, as amended by R.A. No.
8294) ..................................................................... 540
MM The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs
Act of 2002 (R.A. No. 9165) ................................. 546
NN Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs
(R.A. No. 8203) ..................................................... 649
OO Penal Provisions of the Philippine Passport
Act of 1996 (R.A. No. 8239) ................................. 660
PP Access Devices Regulation Act
(R.A. No. 8484) ..................................................... 666
QQ Art Forgery Act of 2001 (R.A. No. 9105) ............. 679
RR Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 (R.A.
No. 9160, as amended by R.A. No. 9194)............. 685
SS Chain Saw Act of 2002 (R.A. No. 9175)............... 706
TT Human Security Act of 2007 (R.A. No. 9372)...... 713
UU Administrative Circular No. 08-2008.................. 758
VV Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006
(R.A. No. 9344)...................................................... 762
WW Rule on Juveniles in Conflict with the Law
(A.M. No. 02-1-18-SC)........................................... 807
XX Anti-torture Act of 2009 (R.A. No. 9745) ............ 849
YY Anti-Child Pronography Act of 2009
(R.A. No. 9775) ..................................................... 867
ZZ Philippine Act on Crimes Against International
Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other
Crimes Against Humanity (R.A. No. 9851) ........ 889
AAA Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009
(R.A. No. 10054).................................................... 914
BBB Anti-Camcording Act of 2010 (R.A. No. 10088)...... 918
CCC Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism
Act of 2009 (R.A. No. 99950) ............................... 927

xiii

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