FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHKIPPINES 
) 
) 
7 Jt11. -3 M 1 28 
First Regular Session 
) 
Tntroduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Since the fall of the Marcos’ dictatorship, and our consequent reacquaintance with 
democracy, our country has slowly begun abusing its new-found heedom. It seems we are 
now quick to point the accusing finger at public officers, sometimes intentionally accusing 
them of false criminal and administrative charges, indifferent to the repercussions such an 
act could create. 
It is great that our country’s public officials now are no longer deemed as 
“untouchables” in the eye of the public. Their constituents now have the right and the 
power to blow the whistle on public officers who abuse their powers and are involved in 
illegal acts. This keeps these officials in check and on their toes. What the people should 
learn to realize though, is that just as the public servants must be responsible in using their 
powers, they too must be careful of their freedom. 
To date, there are no means with which to protect public officials from individuals 
bringing malicious accusations at them, yet the Revised Penal Code provides aggravated 
criminal liability for any public officer found taking advantage of his position. There 
should be a counter-balance to this law, otherwise anyone can just falsely accuse a public 
official of a crime without fear of prosecution except for a counter-suit. And in such cases, 
the defendant, being a public officer, will have to suffer loss of integrity (which he may 
never regain regardless of the outcome of the case). More importantly, the public official 
may be hindered from doing his duties competently. 
In the end it is the public who ultimately suffers. It is a waste of the government’s 
time and money to investigate these false accusations only to dismiss them later on. This 
bill punishes false accusers of government officials so that it may serve as a deterrent to 
the former, who may use the complaint to disparage and embarrass the later. 
Hence, the passage of this bill is immediately sought. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE WPUBLIC 
) 
r * i  :E 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
7 
JUL -3 
A 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. 
AN ACT DECLARING THE FILING OF FALSE COMPLAINTS AGAINST 
PUBLIC OFFICERS AS A CIUME AGAINST HONOR, PRESCRIBING 
PENALTIES TaEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Declaration of State Policy and Principles. - It shall be the policy 
of the State to preserve the honor and integrity of its public servants. The State therefore 
declares the deliberate filing of false complaints against a public officer inimical to public 
interest and hinders public service. To this end, the State shall institute measures to ensure 
that anyone found guilty of filing a false complaint against a public oficer shall be 
contained and penalized. 
SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. -Under this Act: 
(a) 
“Public Officer” refers to a person whose duties, not being of a clerical 
or manual nature, involves the exercise of discretion in the 
performance of the functions of the government. When used with 
reference to a person having authority to do a particular act or perform 
a particular knction in the exercise of government power, “officer” 
includes any government employee, agent or body having authority to 
do the act or exercise that function. 
(b) 
“Government” refers to the corporate governmental entity through 
which the firnetions of the government are exercised throughout the 
Philippines, including, save as the contrary appears from the context, 
the various arms through which political authority is made effective in 
the Philippines, whether pertaining to the autonomous regions, the 


provincial, city, municipal or barangay subdivisions or other forms of 
local government. 
(c) 
“Honor” a person of superior standing, used especially as a title for a 
holder of high office. 
(4 
“Complaint” shall refer to a sworn written statement charging a person 
with an offense, subscribed by the offended party, any peace officer or 
the republic officer charged with the enforcement of the law violated. 
SEC. 3. Punishment. - A person who knowingly files a false complaint against a 
public officer of a government agency or any of its subsidiaries including local 
government units shall suffer the penalty ofprision mayor in its minimum to its medium 
period and pay a fine of fifty thousand pesos (P 50,000.00) or both at the discretion of the 
court. 
If during the course of the investigation or trial it is proven that the false complaint 
was used by the accuser as a leverage against the public officer in order to gain advantage 
in a government contract or to receive a favourable decision or resolution in an ongoing 
dispute, controversy or matter where the latter is the governing authority, the former shall 
suffer a penalty ofprision mayor in its minimum to its maximum period and pay a fine of 
one hundred thousand pesos or both at the discretion of the court. 
SEC. 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid by 
a competent court, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected by such 
declaration of invalidity shall remain in force and effect. 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
other executive issuances, rula and regulations or parts thereof are hereby repealed 
amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC 6. Effectivity - This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in at least two (2) newspapers of genera1 circulation. 
Approved