Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FOURTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2619

______________________________________________________________________
Introduced by Representatives SATUR C. OCAMPO, TEODORO A. CASIÑO, CRISPIN B. BELTRAN, LIZA L.
MAZA, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAUL V. DEL MAR, SIMEON A. DATUMANONG, ERIC D. SINGSON,
ARNULFO P. FUENTEBELLA, MA. AMELITA C. VILLAROSA, ARTHUR D. DEFENSOR, NEPTALI M.
GONZALES II, RONALDO B. ZAMORA, DARLENE ANTONINO-CUSTODIO, LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, MATIAS V.
DEFENSOR JR., CARLOS M. PADILLA, EDUARDO C. ZIALCITA, CYNTHIA A. VILLAR, LORENZO R. TAÑADA
III, JOSE V. YAP, REYNALDO S. UY, TEODORO L. LOCSIN, JR., MA. LAARNI L. CAYETANO, RODOLFO G.
PLAZA, LIWAYWAY VINZONS-CHATO, RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ, SALVADOR H. ESCUDERO III, JAIME C.
LOPEZ, TEOFISTO L. GUINGONA III, ABRAHAM KAHLIL B. MITRA, EMMANUEL JOEL J. VILLANUEVA, NIEL
“JUNJUN” TUPAS, JR., JUSTIN SB. CHIPECO, DEL R. DE GUZMAN, ABIGAIL S. BINAY, JOSE G. SOLIS,
MONICA PRIETO-TEODORO, DANILO RAMON S. FERNANDEZ, JUAN EDGARDO M. ANGARA, DANILO E.
SUAREZ, TEODULO M. COQUILLA, FELIX R. ALFELOR, GIORGIDI B. AGGABAO, PROCESO J. ALCALA,
RODOLFO T. ALBANO III, ROZZANO RUFINO B. BIAZON, MUJIV S. HATAMAN, ANTONIO A. CERILLES,
ANTONIO T. KHO, HERMILANDO I. MANDANAS, MAGTANGGOL T. GUNIGUNDO, PAUL R. DAZA, EDUARDO
R. GULLAS, TRINIDAD T. APOSTOL, JESUS CRISPIN C. REMULLA, FERJENEL G. BIRON, JECI A. LAPUS,
LORNA C. SILVERIO, ALFONSO V. UMALI JR., EDUARDO NONATO N. JOSON, BENJAMIN DR. ASILO,
ROBERT RAYMUND M. ESTRELLA, ANTONIO C. ALVAREZ, HERMINIA B. ROMAN, CZARINA D. UMALI, MA.
ZENAIDA B. ANGPING, REYLINA G. NICOLAS, OSCAR G. MALAPITAN, JANETTE L. GARIN, FLORENCIO T.
MIRAFLORES, VINCENT P. CRISOLOGO, YEVGENY VICENTE B. EMANO, NUR G. JAAFAR, WAHAB M.
AKBAR, EDGAR L. VALDEZ, RENE DM. VELARDE, ANTONIO M. DIAZ, MAURICIO G. DOMOGAN, MANUEL N.
MAMBA, CARLOS OLIVER D. DIASNES, DANILO P. LAGBAS, EDELMIRO A. AMANTE, SOLOMON R.
CHUNGALAO, ALBERT S. GARCIA, MARINA P. CLARETE, RONALD V. SINGSON, JOSE CARLOS V.
LACSON, ROMAN T. ROMULO, JOSE ANTONIO F. ROXAS, ISIDRO T. UNGAB, MARC DOUGLAS C.CAGAS
IV, MARIANO U. PIAMONTE, JR., MARY ANNE L. SUSANO, MARY MITZI L. CAJAYON, MA. MILAGROS H.
MAGSAYSAY, AMADO S. BAGATSING, NARCISO R. BRAVO, JR., EMMYLOU TALIÑO-MENDOZA, ROGER G.
MERCADO, JOAQUIN CARLOS A. NAVA, EMIL L. ONG, JOSEPH EMILIO A. ABAYA, AURELIO D. GONZALES,
MARK LLANDRO L. MENDOZA, WILLIAM IRWIN C. TIENG, REX GATCHALIAN, PEDRO P. ROMUALDO,
CANDIDO P. PANCRUDO, JR., JOSE S. AQUINO II, CARMEN L. CARI, EUFROCINO M. CODILLA, SR.
NERISSA SOON-RUIZ, BENHUR L. SALIMBANGON, JOCELYN SY-LIMKAICHONG, FAYSAH RPM DUMARPA,
MANUEL E. ZAMORA, VICTOR J. YU, ROMMEL C. AMATONG, ANNA YORK P. BONDOC, FRED H. CASTRO
BELMA A. CABILAO, PABLO P. GARCIA, PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA, FLORENCIO C. GARAY, ORLANDO B.
FUA, MA. CARISSA O. COSCUELLA, ROBERTO V. PUNO, ANGELITO C. GATLABAYAN, JEFFRY P. FERRER,
ROQUE R. ABLAN, RENO G. LIM, VICTOR E. AGBAYANI, ERNESTO C. PABLO, ARTHUR Y. PINGOY JR. ,
FLORENCIO G. NOEL, CINCHONA C. CRUZ-GONZALES, MA. ISABELLE G. CLIMACO
______________________________________________________________________

EXPLANATORY NOTE
In the Philippines today, persons arrested for or merely suspected of committing various
offenses – whether light or grave, or ordinary criminal acts or political crimes – are routinely
subjected to indignities, humiliation, degrading or inhuman treatment by agents of police,
military and other law enforcement agencies. The use of torture in fact has become so
customary as to raise questions if it is an officially sanctioned policy.
Torture is a gross violation of human rights and being subjected to it is a grave affront to human
dignity. Its practice is strictly condemned by the Philippine Constitution and international law,
including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Section 19 (2), Article III of the Philippine Constitution provides specifically that: “The
employment of physical, psychological, or degrading punishment against any prisoner or
detainee or the use of substandard or inadequate penal facilities under subhuman conditions
shall be dealt with by law.”

Despite this strict constitutional provision, there is no law in the Philippines which defines and
penalizes torture.

This bill declares the practice of torture a crime and provides penalties for its commission. It
expressly affirms the policy of the State to fully adhere to the principles and standards on the
absolute condemnation and prohibition of torture set by the Constitution and various
international instruments to which the Philippines is a signatory. It seeks to ensure that the
rights of all persons, including suspect, detainees or prisoners, are respected at all times.

Approval, therefore, of this bill is earnestly sought.

SATUR C. OCAMPO TEODORO A. CASIÑO CRISPIN B. BELTRAN

Bayan Muna Party-List Bayan Muna Party-List Anakpawis Party-List

LIZA L. MAZA LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN

Gabriela Women’s Party Gabriela Women’s Party
 Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FOURTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 2619

______________________________________________________________________

Introduced by Representatives SATUR C. OCAMPO, TEODORO A. CASIÑO, CRISPIN B. BELTRAN, LIZA L.

MAZA, LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, RAUL V. DEL MAR, SIMEON A. DATUMANONG, ERIC D. SINGSON,
ARNULFO P. FUENTEBELLA, MA. AMELITA C. VILLAROSA, ARTHUR D. DEFENSOR, NEPTALI M.
GONZALES II, RONALDO B. ZAMORA, DARLENE ANTONINO-CUSTODIO, LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, MATIAS V.
DEFENSOR JR., CARLOS M. PADILLA, EDUARDO C. ZIALCITA, CYNTHIA A. VILLAR, LORENZO R. TAÑADA
III, JOSE V. YAP, REYNALDO S. UY, TEODORO L. LOCSIN, JR., MA. LAARNI L. CAYETANO, RODOLFO G.
PLAZA, LIWAYWAY VINZONS-CHATO, RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ, SALVADOR H. ESCUDERO III, JAIME C.
LOPEZ, TEOFISTO L. GUINGONA III, ABRAHAM KAHLIL B. MITRA, EMMANUEL JOEL J. VILLANUEVA, NIEL
“JUNJUN” TUPAS, JR., JUSTIN SB. CHIPECO, DEL R. DE GUZMAN, ABIGAIL S. BINAY, JOSE G. SOLIS,
MONICA PRIETO-TEODORO, DANILO RAMON S. FERNANDEZ, JUAN EDGARDO M. ANGARA, DANILO E.
SUAREZ, TEODULO M. COQUILLA, FELIX R. ALFELOR, GIORGIDI B. AGGABAO, PROCESO J. ALCALA,
RODOLFO T. ALBANO III, ROZZANO RUFINO B. BIAZON, MUJIV S. HATAMAN, ANTONIO A. CERILLES,
ANTONIO T. KHO, HERMILANDO I. MANDANAS, MAGTANGGOL T. GUNIGUNDO, PAUL R. DAZA, EDUARDO
R. GULLAS, TRINIDAD T. APOSTOL, JESUS CRISPIN C. REMULLA, FERJENEL G. BIRON, JECI A. LAPUS,
LORNA C. SILVERIO, ALFONSO V. UMALI JR., EDUARDO NONATO N. JOSON, BENJAMIN DR. ASILO,
ROBERT RAYMUND M. ESTRELLA, ANTONIO C. ALVAREZ, HERMINIA B. ROMAN, CZARINA D. UMALI, MA.
ZENAIDA B. ANGPING, REYLINA G. NICOLAS, OSCAR G. MALAPITAN, JANETTE L. GARIN, FLORENCIO T.
MIRAFLORES, VINCENT P. CRISOLOGO, YEVGENY VICENTE B. EMANO, NUR G. JAAFAR, WAHAB M.
AKBAR, EDGAR L. VALDEZ, RENE DM. VELARDE, ANTONIO M. DIAZ, MAURICIO G. DOMOGAN, MANUEL N.
MAMBA, CARLOS OLIVER D. DIASNES, DANILO P. LAGBAS, EDELMIRO A. AMANTE, SOLOMON R.
CHUNGALAO, ALBERT S. GARCIA, MARINA P. CLARETE, RONALD V. SINGSON, JOSE CARLOS V.
LACSON, ROMAN T. ROMULO, JOSE ANTONIO F. ROXAS, ISIDRO T. UNGAB, MARC DOUGLAS C.CAGAS
IV, MARIANO U. PIAMONTE, JR., MARY ANNE L. SUSANO, MARY MITZI L. CAJAYON, MA. MILAGROS H.
MAGSAYSAY, AMADO S. BAGATSING, NARCISO R. BRAVO, JR., EMMYLOU TALIÑO-MENDOZA, ROGER G.
MERCADO, JOAQUIN CARLOS A. NAVA, EMIL L. ONG, JOSEPH EMILIO A. ABAYA, AURELIO D. GONZALES,
MARK LLANDRO L. MENDOZA, WILLIAM IRWIN C. TIENG, REX GATCHALIAN, PEDRO P. ROMUALDO,
CANDIDO P. PANCRUDO, JR., JOSE S. AQUINO II, CARMEN L. CARI, EUFROCINO M. CODILLA, SR.,
NERISSA SOON-RUIZ, BENHUR L. SALIMBANGON, JOCELYN SY-LIMKAICHONG, FAYSAH RPM DUMARPA,
MANUEL E. ZAMORA, VICTOR J. YU, ROMMEL C. AMATONG, ANNA YORK P. BONDOC, FRED H. CASTRO ,
BELMA A. CABILAO, PABLO P. GARCIA, PABLO JOHN F. GARCIA, FLORENCIO C. GARAY, ORLANDO B.
FUA, MA. CARISSA O. COSCUELLA, ROBERTO V. PUNO, ANGELITO C. GATLABAYAN, JEFFRY P. FERRER
ROQUE R. ABLAN, RENO G. LIM, VICTOR E. AGBAYANI, ERNESTO C. PABLO, ARTHUR Y. PINGOY JR. ,
FLORENCIO G. NOEL, CINCHONA C. CRUZ-GONZALES, MA. ISABELLE G. CLIMACO
_____________________________________________________________________

AN ACT DECLARING TORTURE A CRIME AND PRESCRIBING PENALTIES FOR COMMISSION OF ACTS OF
TORTURE

Be it enacted by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This law shall be known as “Anti-Torture Act of 2007.”

SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. – It is hereby the policy of the State to fully adhere to the
principles and standards on the absolute condemnation and prohibition of torture set by the
Philippine Constitution and various international instrumentalities to which the Philippines is a
signatory. Towards this end, the State shall ensure that the rights of all persons, including
suspects, detainees or prisoners, are respected at all times.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – “Torture” as used in this Act shall mean any act by which
severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted by or at the
instigation of a public official on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him/her or a third
person information or confession, punishing him/her for an act he/she has committed or
suspected of having committed, or intimidating him/her or other persons for purpose of
extracting information or confession. It shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Physical Torture:

a. Systematic beatings, headbangings, punching, kicking, striking with truncheons, rifle

butts, jumping on the stomach;
b. Food deprivation or forcible feeding with spoiled food, animal or human excreta or other
food not normally eaten by the victim;
c. Electric shocks;
d. Cigarette burning, burning by electrically heated rods, hot oil, acid; by the rubbing of
pepper or another chemical substances on mucous membranes, or acids or spices
directly on wounds;
e. The submersion of the victim’s head in water or water polluted with excrement, urine,
vomit and/or blood until on the brink of suffocation;
f. Being tied or forced to assume fixed and stressful bodily positions;
g. Administration of drugs, such as truth serum, to induce confession or for other purposes;
h. Sexual torture, such as but not limited to the insertion of foreign bodies into sex organs
or rectum or electrical torture on the genitals;
i. Mutilation, such as amputation of the essential parts of the body such as the genitalia,
ears, tongue, etc.;
j. Dental torture or the forced extraction of the teeth;
k. Forced extraction of fingernails; and
l. Other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading physical treatment or punishment.

2 Mental/Psychological Torture:

a. Blindfolding;
b. Threatening the victims or their families with bodily harm, execution or other wrongful
acts;
c. Confining them in solitary cells or in cells put up in public places;
d. Confining them in solitary cells against their will or without prejudice to their security;
e. Excessive interrogation of victims;
f. Maltreating a member of the victim’s family;
g. Witnessing the torture sessions by the victim’s family or relatives;
h. Continuous exposure to sunlight;
i. Shame infliction such as stripping the victims naked, parading them in public places,
shaving their heads or putting marks on their bodies against their will; and
j. Other forms of cruel, inhumane or degrading mental treatment or punishment.
SECTION 4. Right to Medical Examination. – Any person arrested, detained or under
custodial investigation shall have the right to demand a medical examination by an independent
and competent doctor of his/her choice before and after interrogation, which shall be conducted
outside the influence of the police or security forces. If such person cannot afford the services of
his/her own doctor, he/she shall be provided with a competent and independent doctor by the
investigating officer.

The medical report shall include in detail the history and the findings of the physical examination
and shall be attached to the custodial investigation report, otherwise, such investigation report
shall be deemed null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

SECTION 5. Criminal Liability. – Torture as defined in Section 2 of this Act is hereby declared
as a criminal act. The individuals who actually participated in the infliction of physical and mental
harm, as well as the individuals present during the said acts, shall be liable as principals.

SECTION 6. Liability of Commanding Officer. – The immediate Commanding Officer or

equivalent Senior Official shall be held liable for any acts of omission or negligence on his/her
part that may have led to the commission of overt acts of torture by his/her subordinates.

SECTION 7. Penalties. – Torture that results in the loss of life of any person shall be
considered as murder and shall be punished as such.

A person found guilty of physical torture shall suffer a penalty of one (1) degree higher than that
provided for under Article 263, 264, or 265 of the Revised Penal Code.

If mutilation results as a consequence of physical torture, the offender shall suffer the penalty
provided for under Article 262 of the Revised Penal Code.

Mental torture shall be punishable with imprisonment from six (6) months to one (1) year or a
fine of not less that Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) or both, at the discretion of the court.

A public official or employee found guilty of torture shall be permanently disqualified form
holding any appointive or elective position in the government.

The penalty of imprisonment form six (6) months to one (1) year or a fine of not less that Fifty
Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) or both, at the discretion of the court, shall be imposed upon any
arresting officer, employee or any investigating officer who violated the provision of Section 4 of
this Act.

The above penalties shall be without prejudice to other legal remedies available to the victim
under the law.

SECTION 8. Compensation to Victims of Torture. – Any person who has suffered torture
shall claim for compensation as provided for under Republic Act No, 7309 and under the
financial relief programs that may be available to him or her.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Department of Justice and the
Commission on Human Rights, in consultation with human rights non-governmental
organizations, shall promulgate the rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this
Act. They shall also ensure the full dissemination of such rules and regulations to all officers and
members of various law enforcement agencies.
SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, or any part thereof, inconsistent herewith are
deemed repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11.Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its publication in at
least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,