Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

1458

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE XAVIER JESUS “XJ” D. ROMUALDO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The late Representative Pedro P. Romualdo originally filed this measure in the previous
Congress.

Illegal gambling is a universally recognized social ill that is known to result in the squandering
of income and the disintegration of families, lead to the commission of crimes, and is a source of
coruption. Hence, the State condemns and criminalizes illegal gambling activities. However,
despite the campaign against illegal gambling, it continues to subsist and remain prevalent in the
country. The suppression of illegal gambling will require a comprehensive approach from and
the joint efforts of both the government and the public. In the meantime, Congress should adopt
more stringent measures against illegal gambling as part of its contribution to the campaign
against the same. This proposed measure is a step in that direction as it seeks to increase the
penalties against those who engage in illegal gambling activities.

The imposition of heavier penalties will show the seriousness with which Congress views the
problem of illegal gambling and is in fulfillment of Congress’s responsibility of ensuring that the
laws of the land are able to meet and respond to the challenges of the present times. Hence, the
favorable support of the Members of Congress for the prompt and timely passage of this measure

is earnestly sought.
<< a a

XAVIER JESUS “XJ” D, ROMUALDO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO.___ 1458

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE XAVIER JESUS “XJ” D. ROMUALDO

AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 1 OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1602, PRESCRIBING
STIFFER PENALTIES ON ILLEGAL GAMBLING

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

Section 1. Section 1 of Presidential Decree No. 1602 is hereby amended, as follows:
“Section 1. Penalties. - The following penalties are hereby imposed:

(1) The penalty of prision correccional in its [medium] MAXIMUM period [or] AND a fine
ranging from FIFTY THOUSAND (P50,000.00) TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
(P100,000.00) PESOS, and in cases of recidivism, the penalty of prision mayor in its [medium]
MAXIMUM period for] AND a fine ranging from [five thousand to ten thousand] ONE
HUNDRED THOUSAND (P100,000.00) TO ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND
(P150,000.00) PESOS shall be imposed upon:

(1) XXX

(2) Any person who shall knowingly permit any form of gambling referred to in the
preceding sub-paragraph to be carried on in an inhabited or uninhabited place or in
any building, vessel or other means of transportation owned or controlled by him. If
the place where gambling is carried on has a reputation of a gambling place or that
prohibited gambling is frequently carried on therein, or the place is or government
building or barangay hall, the malefactor shall be punished by [prision correccional]
PRISION MAYOR in its [maximum] MINIMUM period and a fine of [six thousand]
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P150,000.00).

(a) XXX

(b) The penalty of [prision correccional in its maximum] PRISION MAYOR IN
ITS MEDIUM period [or] AND a fine of [six thousand] TWO HUNDRED
THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) shall be imposed upon the maintainer or
conductor of the above gambling schemes.

(c) The penalty of prision mayor in its [medium] MAXIMUM period with
[temporary] PERPETUAL absolute disqualification [or] AND a fine of [six
thousand} TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P 200,000.00)
shall be imposed if the maintainer, conductor or banker of said gambling
schemes is a government official, or where such government official is a
player, promoter, referee, umpire, judge or coach in case of game-fixing,
point-shaving and machination.

(4) The penalty of prision correccional in its (medium) MAXIMUM period [or]
AND a fine ranging from (four hundred to two thousand) TWENTY


THOUSAND PESOS (P20,000.00) TO FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS
(P50,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person who shall, knowingly and
without lawful purpose in any hour or any day, possess any lottery list, paper
pertaining to or in any manner used in the games of jucteng, jai alai or horse
racing, bookings, and similar games of lotteries and numbers which have
taken place or about to take place.

(e) The penalty of [temporary] PERMANENT absolute disqualification shall be
imposed upon any barangay official who with knowledge of existence of a
gambling house or place in his jurisdiction fails to abate the same or take
action in connection herewith.

(£) The penalty of prision [correccional] MAYOR in its [maximum] MINIMUM
period [or] AND a fine ranging from [five hundred pesos to two thousand
pesos] TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS (P20,000.00) TO FIFTY
THOUSAND PESOS [P50,000.00] shall be imposed upon any security,
security guard, watchman, private or house detective of hotels, villages,
buildings, enclosures, and the like which have the reputation of a gambling
place or where gambling activities are being held.”

Section 2. Alll laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, rules and regulations or parts thereof
which are inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

Section 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of
general circulation in the Philippines.

‘Approved,