Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth (20th) Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Republic Act No. 9710 otherwise known as The Magna Carta of Women was enacted in 2009 
pursuant to our commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination 
Against Women (CEDAW). In particular, Section 12 of the Act provides that the State shall take steps 
to review and, when necessary, amend and/or repeal existing laws that are discriminatory to women 
within three (3) years from the effectivity of the said Act. 
Up to date or more than a decade after the passage of RA 9710, discriminatory laws toward 
women are yet to be revisited such as Articles 333 and 334 of the Revised Penal Code on Adultery and 
Concubinage. Adultery, which covers married women, carries heavier penalty than concubinage, 
which covers married men. Further, adultery is easier proved than concubinage that requires the 
attendance of circumstances under Article 334. 
Thus, this bill seeks to do away with gender-based discrimination by amending Articles 333 and 
334 to punish acts of marital infidelity committed by either spouse. Accordingly, adultery and 
concubinage shall thereafter be sexual infidelity and maintaining a paramour, respectively. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
July 24, 2025
3:14 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth (20th) Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 
Introduced by Representative MA. VICTORIA CO-PILAR 
AN ACT 
ACCORDING EQUAL RIGHTS TO WIVES AND HUSBANDS IN THE PHILIPPINES 
BY AMENDING ARTICLES 333, 334, AND 344 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article 333 of Act No. 3815, also known as the Revised Penal Code is hereby 
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amended to read as follows: 
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Chapter One 
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[Adultery] SEXUAL INFIDELITY and [Concubinage] MAINTAINING A PARAMOUR 
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Article 333. Who are guilty of [adultery] SEXUAL INFIDELITY. – [Adultery] 
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SEXUAL INFIDELITY is committed by any married [woman] PERSON who shall have 
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sexual intercourse with a [man] PERSON not HIS OR her [husband] SPOUSE and by the 
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[man] PERSON who has carnal knowledge of HIM OR her knowing HIM OR her to be 
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married, even if the marriage be subsequently declared void. 
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[Adultery] SEXUAL INFIDELITY shall be punished by prision correccional in its 
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medium and maximum periods. 
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[If the person guilty of adultery committed this offense while being abandoned 
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without justification by the offended spouse, the penalty next lower in degree than that 
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provided in the next preceding paragraph shall be imposed.] 
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SECTION 2. Article 334 of Act No. 3815, also known as the Revised Penal Code is hereby 
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amended to read as follows: 
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Article 334. [Concubinage] MAINTAINING A PARAMOUR. - Any [husband] 
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MARRIED PERSON who shall keep a [mistress] PARAMOUR in the conjugal dwelling, 
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or shall have sexual intercourse, under scandalous circumstances, with [a woman] 
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ANOTHER PERSON who is not [his wife] THE SPOUSE, or shall cohabit with [her] A 
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PARAMOUR in any other place, shall be punished by prision correccional in its minimum 
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and medium periods. 
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The [concubine] PARAMOUR shall suffer the penalty of destierro. 
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AS USED IN THIS ARTICLE, ‘PARAMOUR’ SHALL INCLUDE ANY PERSON 
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WHO COHABITS WITH A MARRIED PERSON UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE 
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THEY ASSUME AND EXERCISE TOWARD EACH OTHER THE RIGHTS AND 
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PRIVILEGES WHICH PROPERLY BELONG TO PERSONS MARRIED TO EACH 
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OTHER. 
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SECTION 3. Article 344 of Act No. 3815, also known as the Revised Penal Code is hereby 
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amended to read as follows: 
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Article 344. Prosecution of the crimes of [adultery] SEXUAL INFIDELITY, 
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[concubinage] MAINTAINING A PARAMOUR, seduction, abduction, rape and acts of 
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lasciviousness. - The crimes of [adultery] SEXUAL INFIDELITY and [concubinage] 
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MAINTAINING A PARAMOUR shall not be prosecuted except upon a complaint filed 
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by the offended spouse. 
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The offended party cannot institute criminal prosecution without including both 
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the guilty parties, if they are both alive, nor, in any case, if he OR SHE shall have 
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consented or pardoned the offenders[.], NOR, IN ANY CASE, IF HE OR SHE IS 
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LIKEWISE GUILTY OF SEXUAL INFIDELITY OR MAINTAINING A PARAMOUR, 
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NOR, IN ANY CASE, IF HE OR SHE SHALL HAVE ABANDONED THE GUILTY 
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SPOUSE WITHOUT JUST CAUSE FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR. 
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The offenses of seduction, abduction, rape or acts of lasciviousness, shall not be 
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prosecuted except upon a complaint filed by the offended party or her parents, 
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grandparents, or guardian, nor, in any case, if the offender has been expressly pardoned 
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by the above named persons, as the case may be. 
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In cases of seduction, abduction, acts of lasciviousness and rape, the marriage of 
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the offender with the offended party shall extinguish the criminal action or remit the 
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penalty already imposed upon him. The provisions of this paragraph shall also be 
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applicable to the co-principals, accomplices and accessories after the fact of the above-
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mentioned crimes. 
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SECTION 4. Separability Clause – If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid 
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and subsisting. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter 
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of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provision of 
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this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
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in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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