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The Indeterminate Sentence Law is mandatory in all cases, EXCEPT if the accused will fall in any of the
following exceptions:
ISLAW applies to offenses punished by Special Law and Revised Penal Code.
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Why is ISLAW mandatory?
In the application of the Indeterminate Sentence Law the judge will get the maximum penalty and likewise the
minimum penalty. If the accused was already able to serve the minimum term of his indeterminate sentence and
upon the approval of the Board, the accused now becomes eligible for parole. ISLAW is favorable to the accused.
If the accused was granted parole and violated some conditions of the parole, What will happen?
A warrant of arrest will be issued by the court and the accused will be made to serve the rest of the remaining or
unexpired portion of his sentence. (But in probation you go back to number 1, serving of sentence will be from
the beginning)
Application of ISLAW:
The maximum penalty under the Indeterminate Sentence Law is reclusion temporal. But reclusion temporal is a
divisible penalty consisting of maximum, medium and minimum periods. Which period will we place the
maximum term of the Indeterminate Sentence?
Important: If your maximum penalty is wrong, it follows that the minimum penalty will also be wrong.
Suppose in the example above, 1 aggravating circumstance was proven. What is now the maximum
penalty? It would still be reclusion temporal, but it shall be placed in the maximum period because of the
presence of 1 aggravating circumstance.
(More examples)
The preceding example is an exception to the rule. If there is a privileged mitigating circumstance, we take it into
account first in order to obtain the proper maximum penalty. Then, from that maximum penalty, we obtain the proper
minimum penalty by getting the penalty 1 degree lower. Same rule applies as to the period of the minimum penalty.
Remember: It will never become a privileged mitigating circumstance if there is an aggravating circumstance
present. 8 mitigating and 1 aggravating will never become privileged mitigating circumstance.
3 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: prision mayor in the minimum period
minimum penalty: prision correctional any period
In the preceding example, there are 3 mitigating circumstance present and no aggravating circumstance. The
first two mitigating circumstance shall be a privileged mitigating circumstance. Thus, the penalty will be reduced
by 1 degree from reclusion temporal to prision mayor. The 3rd mitigating circumstance shall place the penalty in
the minimum period.
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4 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: prision correctional in the medium period (2 privileged circumstance. Thus we lower
by 2 degrees)
minimum penalty: arresto mayor any period
5 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: prision correctional in the minimum period
minimum penalty: arresto mayor any period
At most we can only lower by 2 degrees. Thus, if there are 6 mitigating circumstance and NO aggravating:
maximum penalty: prision correctional in the minimum period
minimum penalty: arresto mayor any period
Under the Revised Penal Code, falsification of public documents (Article 171) is a more serious offense
punished by prision mayor than estafa (Article 315), punished only by prision correctional.
Thus, applying the Indeterminate Sentence Law, the maximum penalty for estafa through falsification of public
documents shall be prision mayor in the maximum period. Minimum penalty shall be prision correctional, any
period.
Suppose there was 1 mitigating circumstance proven. Maximum penalty would still be prision mayor in the
maximum period. In pursuant to Article 48, even if there is a mitigating circumstance present, it should still be
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imposed at the maximum period.
4 mitigating, NO aggravating
maximum penalty: arresto mayor in its maximum period
gemendio at 4:24 AM
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