FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S. B. No. 
538 
Introduced by Senator JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
While the Constitution affirms the freedom of speech, of expression and of 
the press, a report conducted by a New York-based Committee to protect 
Journalists in 1996 yielded that members of the media in the Philippines have 
been continually subjected to harassment by the military, influential families who 
maintain feudal-like control of some areas, large corporations and even the 
government itself, to the point that even murder is committed against them. 
It is in the rural areas outside. Metro Manila, where radio is the dominant 
medium because of an under-developed infrastructure and high illiteracy, where 
such serious abuses are pervasive. Since press people are faced with the 
dangers which go along their line of duty, while exposing the truth, especially 
those which are sensitive, controversial and emotional, it is the duty of the 
government to ensure their protection and welfare. 
This bill seeks to amend the Revised Penal Code thus making the killing 
of members of the broadcast and print media qualified as murder punishable 
under Article 248 of the same Code. 
Immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
EJERCITO ESTRADA 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
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1 
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*AN. -2 ! - .,, I' 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S E N A T E  
tTECE\VE13 BY: 
Senate Bill No. 5 3 8 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
QUALIFYING THE KILLING OF MEMBERS OF BROADCAST AND PRINT 
MEDIA ON THE OCCASION OF THE EXERCISE OF THEIR FUNCTIONS AS 
SUCH, AS A CRIME OF MURDER PUNISHABLE UNDER ARTICLE 248 OF 
THE REVISED PENAL CODE, AS AMENDED 
Be it enacted by the Senafe and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article two hundred forty-eight of the Revised Penal Code as 
amended by Republic Act No. 7659 is hereby further amended to read as 
follows: 
"ART. 248. Murder. Any person who, not falling within the 
provisions of Article 246 shall kill another, shall be guilty of murder 
and shall be punished attendant circumstances: 
1) While treachery, taking advantage of superior strength, with 
the aid of armed men, or employing means to weaken the 
defense or of means or persons to insure or afford impunity; 
2) In consideration of a price, reward or promise; 
3) By means of inundation, fire poison, explosion, shipwreck, 
standing of a vessel, derailment or assault upon a street car 
or locomotive, fall of an airship, by means of motor vehicle, 
or with the use of any other means involving great waste and 
run; 
4) On occasion of any of the calamities enumerated in the 
preceding paragraph, or an earthquake, eruption of a 
volcano, destructive cyclone, epidemic, or any other public 
calamity; 
5) With evident premediation; 
6) With cruelty, by deliberately and inhumanly augmenting the 
suffering of the victim, or outraging or scoffing at his person 
or corpse; 


7) WHEN THE PERSON KILLED IS A MEMBER OF THE 
BROADCAST AND PRINT MEDIA, ON OCCASION OF THE 
LAWFUL EX 4 
RCISE OF HIS DUTIES OR FUNCTIONS AS 
SUCH MEMBQR.” 
SEC. 2, Repealing Cla se. - All laws, decrees, orders or regulations or 
part thereof inconsistent wit t this Act are hereby repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
SEC. 3 .  Effectivity.- Tqis Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following 
the completion of its publicatio in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspaper of 
general circulation in the Philip 
Approved,