Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quejon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3971

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In the wake of bombings in the cities of Manila and Davao which claimed the lives of
almost 30 individuals and injured a hundred more, bomb threats, even if empty and
unverified, instantly sow undue alarm and panic to citizens, create public confusion,
and disrupt regular business affairs resulting in reduced productivity and wastage of
the government's law enforcement emergency response resources. While hoax bomb
threats are often credited to unlawful elements that intend to propagate fear among
the populace, the same are also made material of jokes cracked in poor taste.

This year alone, several government offices had to suspend work due to apparent
bomb threats. Last month, an unattended baggage left outside the headquarters of the
Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame disrupted operations while an
unverified phone call about a ticking bomb suspended work at the Professional
Regulations Commission (PRC) in Manila. An unsigned police memorandum warning
of planned bombings in major malls across the country also went viral on social media
and roused paranoia. All of them proved fictitious.

This bill aims to curtail the alarming frequency of fake and malicious bomb threats that
recently menaced major public and private establishments in the country by repealing
the outdated Presidential Decree No. 1727 “Declaring as Unlawful the Malicious
Dissemination of False Information of the Willful Making of any Threat Concerning
Bombs, Explosives or any Similar Device or Means of Destruction and Imposing


Penalties Therefor’ first enforced almost 40 years ago, and superseding it with a duly
enacted law which expands the coverage of the current prohibition and imposes
heavier penalties.

Currently, PD No. 1727 penalizes the willful dissemination of any false threat
concerning an attempt or alleged attempt to use explosives, incendiary devices, and
other destructive forces to kill, injure, or intimidate any individual, or damage any
building, vehicle, or other real or personal property. In contrast, this bill makes it
unlawful to willfully communicate or cause to be communicated any false bomb threat
regardless of its ultimate aim.

This bill also proposes graver punishment of not less than six (6) years but not more
than twelve (12) years or fine of not less than One Million Pesos (P1, 000,000.00) but
not more than Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000.00), or both to convicted violators.

Bogus bomb threats undermine the State's serious efforts to preserve peace and order
in society, and protect all Filipinos from needless anxiety. The confidence of the people
in their law enforcement and intelligence agencies also comes under fire every time
the security of their persons and properties is threatened. It is high time that a law is
enacted to reduce, if not put to an end, to this form of public deception.

In consideration of the foregoing premises, the approval of this bill is respectfully
sought.

LUIS RAYMUND “RAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No.3971

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
PENALIZING THE DISSEMINATION OF FALSE INFORMATION AS TO THE
PRESENCE OF BOMBS, EXPLOSIVES AND OTHER INCENDIARY DEVICES IN
HIGH DENSITY OR SENSITIVE PLACES AND PROVIDING PENALTIES
THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “False Bomb Threat
Prohibition Act of 2019.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
undertake all measures to protect all persons, especially its citizens, from being
‘subject to injurious effects of false information and threats on bombs and explosives,
in the objective of upholding their security and safety, especially in high density and
sensitive places where the risks are higher.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

a) “High density” shall refer to areas which are regularly populated with
people including but not limited to public spaces like national roads, public
parks, airports, seaports, hotels and malls, or where people are gathered
for an event; and

S

“Sensitive areas” shall refer to those which are subject to those which are
subject to high risks upon violation of this act because of the magnitude of
resulting possible losses in productivity, resources, and religious value
notwithstanding the number of people present therein, including but not


limited to educational institutions, offices, government institutions, and
churches.

SECTION 4. Prohibition. — No person shall willfully communicate or cause to be
communicated, either directly or indirectly, orally, in writing, by mail, by use of a
telephone or telecommunication device including, but not limited to, cellular through
an electronic mail, internet communication device or by any means, a threat or
information involving a bomb, explosive or other incendiary device, when such threat
is in fact not present, thereby causing either the evacuation or serious disruption of a
school, school related event, school transportation, or a dwelling disruption of a school,
school related event, school transportation, or a dwelling, building place of assembly,
facility or public transport, or an aircraft, ship or common carrier, or willfully
communicates or causes serious public inconvenience or alarm.

SECTION 5. Penalties. — Any person found guilty of violating this Act or any rules and
regulations issued pursuant hereto shall, upon conviction, be punished by
imprisonment of not less than six (6) years but not more than twelve (12) years or fine
of not less than One Million Pesos (P1, 000,000.00) but not more than Five Million
Pesos (P5,000,000.00) or both.

SECTION 6. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, other parts or provisions thereof which are not affected thereby shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders and issuances
and rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. - This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation

Approved,