How Criminal Liability is Extinguished

Criminal liability may be partially or totally extinguished.

A. Total Extinction means that the entire penalty is extinguished, and there is no more
criminal liability. Criminal liability is totally extinguished:
1. By the death of the convict, as to the personal penalties; and as to pecuniary
penalties, liability therefor is extinguished only when the death of the offender
occurs before final judgment.
2. By service of the sentence.
3. By amnesty, which completely extinguishes the penalty and all its effects.
4. By absolute pardon.
5. By prescription of the crime.
6. By prescription of the penalty.
7. By the marriage of the offended woman, as provided in article 344 of this
Code. (Art. 89, RPC)
8. Express repeal of penal law

B. Criminal liability may also be partially extinguished. It is partial extinction because there
remains liability although it is lessened. Criminal liability is extinguished partially:
1. By conditional pardon;
2. By commutation of the sentence; and
3. For good conduct allowances which the culprit may earn while he is serving
his sentence (Art. 94, RPC);
4. Parole under the Indeterminate Sentence Law;
5. Probation under P.D. No. 968
6. Partial repeal of penal law