EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
si -'rcUirp
SENATE
1509
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR>
AN ACT
PENALIZING PRANK CALLS IN EMERGENCY HOTLINES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In 2005, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG) issued an appeal to the public to refrain from making prank calls to Patrol 117, 
which was then the Nationwide Emergency Hotline Number. According to a report, 
"99 percent of total calls received by the 117 Call Center in Metro Manila ... are 
illegitimate calls, which include pranks calls and those seeking directory assistance."1
In 2011, the DILG reported that the 117 Hotline had been receiving 13,000 
calls a day. Unfortunately, "only 2% of the calls are made by those in need," and "a 
lot of these [calls received] are prank calls."2
In March 2020, the DILG reported that the Emergency 911 Hotline (which 
replaced Patrol 117 by virtue of Executive Order 56, s. 2018), received 2.54 million 
prank calls, 37,440 legitimate calls, 16,763 non-emergency [calls] and 9.7 million 
incomplete [calls].3
1 https://www.philstar.conn/metro/2005/12/29/314113/dilg-pranksters-spare-hotline-117
2 https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/metro-manila/01/27/ll/prank-calls-plague-hotline-117
3 https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/3/4/DILG-prank-calls-receive-
million.html?fbclid=lwAR2WUWIfpPP83PrxStsvBMiQSJIEHv5UanxAgJKvPF4WnCnTizOzBllzLOM


For years, prank calls have infested our government emergency hotlines, 
disrupted the speedy service of our responders to actuai emergencies, and possibly 
prevented victims from being properly attended to and from reaching the proper 
authorities since the lines were unnecessarily busy.
Tbis bill seeks to define and penalize prank calls plaguing our national 
emergency hotlines, consistent with our State policy of protecting the people and 
promoting their general welfare, safety and security. Hefty fine and imprisonment are 
put in piace to serve as deterrent to "pranksters" who irresponsibly clog and choke 
the network of our emergency response mechanisms.
The passage of this measure is earnestly sought.
RAMOfi BONG REVILLA, 3R.


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
PENALIZING PRANK CALLS IN EMERGENCY HOTLINES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
Sec. 1. Short We. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Prank Calls Act."
2 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
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promote the general welfare of the people. Towards this end, the State aims to protect
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public safety and security, to maintain peace and order, to urgently respond to
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emergencies and crisis situations, and to prohibit malicious and improper use of
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telecommunication devices.
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Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
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(a) "Prank call" refers to the use of a service of a telecommunication service
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provider that involves any of the following:
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(1) making false requests or false alarm of an emergency, knowing the
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report or information to be false;
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(2) willfully conveying false information, hoax or fraudulent report aimed to
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threaten, intimidate or frighten, or to cause and create 
confusion,
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inconvenience, distress, or panic;
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(3) repeatedly initiating an unnecessary call, without speaking, deliberately
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hanging up or breaking the service connection as or after the call is
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answered;
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1 
(4) making a mischievous or malicious call to trick or fool someone with the
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intention to annoy, abuse, threaten, harass, or solicit any response
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which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy or indecent.
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(b) "Emergency" refers to a serious, unexpected and often dangerous situation
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requiring immediate attention and action, usually accidents, fires, crime
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incidents, natural disasters, public disturbances, and other circumstances
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of similar nature.
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(c) "Hotline" refers to a direct telecommunication set up for a specific purpose.
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Sec. 4. Prohibition. - Emergency hotlines established for the purpose of
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responding to emergency and crisis situations shall, at all times, be free from receiving
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unnecessary and senseiess calls. It shall be prohibited for any individual to make prank
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calls to any hotline at any time.
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Sec. 5. Penaities. - Any person who violates this Act shall be imprisoned for not
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more than two (2) years or fined not more than One hundred thousand pesos
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(P100,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court.
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Provided, That the penalties shall be imposed without prejudice to other
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liabilities under the Revised Penal Code or any special law arising out of the prohibited
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act herein.
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Sec. 6. Separabiiity Ciause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise
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affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
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Sec. 7. Repeaiing Cause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended
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accordingly.
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Sec. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Offidai Gazette or In a newspaper of general circulation.
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Approved,