Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY “HORI” G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II, Section 14 provides that the state “recognizes the role of women in 
nation-building.”  
The Constitution, Article XIII, Section 14 likewise provides for the protection of women by 
providing such facilities and opportunities as will enhance their welfare and enable them to 
realize their full potential in the service of the nation. 
Further, Republic Act No. 9262, also known as the “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their 
Children Act of 2004,” acknowledges the need for psychological intervention for those who have 
been abused and may have a Battered Woman Syndrome (BWS).  
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has reported that the number of 
battered women, aged 18 and above, has increased dramatically in the last several years. 
This bill hopes to curb the rise in the number of battered women by facilitating faster conviction of 
the guilty party.  For this purpose, the bill: (1) authorizes the Department of Justice, in 
coordination with the DSWD and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), to analyze and 
disseminate information regarding the admissibility and quality of testimony of witnesses with 
expertise relating to battered women; and (2) provides for the development and dissemination of 
training materials to facilitate the appropriate use of experts to provide testimony in criminal trials 
of battered women, particularly in cases involving indigent women. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE  
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY “HORI” G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
September 13, 2022
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY “HORI” G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS “NICK” C. ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT 
AUTHORIZING THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO ANALYZE AND DISSEMINATE 
INFORMATION REGARDING THE ADMISSIBILITY AND QUALITY OF TESTIMONY 
OF WITNESSES WITH EXPERTISE RELATING TO BATTERED WOMEN, AND TO 
DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE TRAINING MATERIALS TO FACILITATE THE 
APPROPRIATE USE OF SUCH EXPERTS TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY IN CRIMINAL 
TRIALS OF BATTERED WOMEN, PARTICULARLY IN CASES INVOLVING INDIGENT 
WOMEN  
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Battered Women’s Testimony 
Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is a policy of the State to protect and promote 
the welfare of women by providing such facilities and opportunities that will enable them 
to realize their full potential in the service of the nation. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of the Act, the term: 
(A)
“Eligible Entity” refers to a non-profit organization that operates on a nationwide 
basis to provide –
(1)
Information and assistance to battered women who are defendants or 
prosecuting witnesses in criminal trials; and 
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(2) 
Technical assistance to battered women, operators of domestic violence 
shelters, advocates for battered women, expert psychological witnesses, 
and attorneys to use effective defense or prosecution strategies in such 
cases. 
 
(B) “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of the Department of Justice. 
 
SECTION 4. Authority of the Department of Justice. – The Department of Justice 
shall make grants to, or enter into contracts with, a single eligible entity to – 
(A) Collect on a nationwide basis, and analyze, information regarding –  
(1) 
The admissibility and quality of expert testimony on the experiences of 
battered women offered either as part of the defense or as part of the 
prosecution in criminal cases under the law; and  
(2) 
Sources of, and methods of obtaining, funds to pay the cost incurred in 
providing such testimony, particularly in cases in which defendant or the 
prosecuting witness is an indigent woman; 
 
(B) Develop training materials to – 
(1) 
Assist battered women, operators of domestic violence shelters, advocates 
for battered women, and attorneys to use such expert testimony in 
appropriate cases, particularly appropriate cases involving indigent women 
defendants or prosecuting witnesses; and  
(2) 
Assist individuals with expertise in the experience of battered women to 
develop skills appropriate to providing such expert testimony; and  
(3) 
Disseminate such information and training materials, and provide related 
technical assistance to battered women, such operators, such advocates, 
such attorneys and such individuals. 
 
SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Secretary, in coordination 
with the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and 
the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), shall promulgate the 


 
 
necessary rules and regulations to ensure the smooth and efficient implementation of the 
provisions of this Act.  
 
SECTION 6. Appropriations. – To carry out the provisions of this Act, such sum as may 
be necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury.  
Thereafter, the sum for the continuous operation of the program shall be included in the 
annual appropriation of the Department of Justice. 
 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or 
inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly.  
 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulations. 
 
Approved,