FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Penal Code, Articles 171 and 172 severely punish any person who falsifies a 
document. Despite these provisions, falsification of titles of land remains unabated. These 
prohibited acts make a mockery of the stability and reliability of the certificates of title under the 
Torrens System. 
This bill seeks to curb ihe practice of fabrication of Torrens Title by imposing stiffer 
penalties upon any person who shall falsify these documents. 
This bill is a product of the public hearings conducted by the Committee on 
Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws during the 10th Congress.* 
' This bill was re-filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session, 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
AMENDING ACT NO. 3815, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE PENAL 
CODE, ARTICLES 171 AND 172, IMPOSING STIFFER PENALTIES FOR THE 
FALSIFICATION OF TORRENS CERTIFICATES OF TITLE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives os the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 171 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise lcnown as the Penal 
Code, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Art. 171. Falsification by public officer, employee or notary or 
ecclesiastic minister. The penalty ofprision nzayor and a fine not to exceed Five 
Thousand Pesos (pS,OOO.OO) shall be imposed upon any public officer, employee, 
or notary who, taking advantage of his official position, shall falsify a document 
by committing any of the following acts: 
xxx 
xxx 
xxx 
The same penalty shall be imposed upon any ecclesiastical minister who 
shall commit any of the offenses enumerated in the preceding paragraphs or this 
article, with respect to any record or document of such character that its 
falsification may affect the civil status of persons. 
THE PENALTY OF RECLUSION TEMPORAL IN ITS MAXIMUM 
PERIOD AND A FINE OF FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PSO,OO,O.OO) SHALL 
BE IMPOSED UPON ANY PUBLIC OFFICER W I O  SHALL FALSIFY A 
TORRENS CERTIFICATE OF TITLE BY COMMITTING ANY OF THE 
ACTS ENUMERATED ABOVE OR BY CAUSING THE SPURIOUS 
MANUFACTURE OF THE SAME. 
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SECTION 2. Article 172 of Act No. 3815 as amended, otherwise known as the Revised 
Penal Code, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Art. 172. Falsification by Private Individuals and Use of Falsified 
Documents. - The penalty of prision corvecional and its medium and maximum 
periods and a fine of not more than Five Thousand Pesos (P5,OOO.OO) shall be 
imposed upon: 
(1) Any private individual who shall commit any of the falsifications 
enumerated in the next preceding article in any public or official document or 
letter of exchange or any other kind of commercial document. PROVIDED, 
THAT, THE PENALTY OF PRISION MAYOR AND A FINE OF TWENTY 
FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P25,OOO.OO) SHALL BE IMPOSED IF SAID 
PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL FALSIFIES A TORRENS CERTIFICATE OF TITLE 
OR CONSPIRES WITH THE PUBLIC OFFICER MENTIONED IN THE 
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING ARTICLE IN THE FALSIFICATION OF THE 
SAME; and 
(2) Any person who, to the damage of a third party, or with the intent to 
cause such damage, shall in any private document commit any of the acts of 
falsification enumerated in the next preceding article. 
Any person who shall knowingly introduce any evidence in any judicial 
proceeding or to the damage of another who, with the intent to cause such 
damage, shall use any of the false documents embraced in the next preceding 
article, or in any of the foregoing subdivision of this article, shall be punished by 
the penalty next lower in degree. 
SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 4. ESfectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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