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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regular Session

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Ranulfo P. Canonigo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The issue of congested penal institutions has confronted the country
for quite a long time. It is, without doubt, one of the most pressing
concerns that the government needs to address if the welfare of prisoners
is to be secured. Considering the importance of decongesting our prisons
to having a truly reformative penal system, an effective legislation on the
matter is in order.

This bill seeks to amend Section 5 of Act No. 4103, as amended,
otherwise known as the “Indeterminate Sentence Law”, by providing for
the mandatory grant of parole to prisoners who have served at least twenty
(20) years of their prison sentence. With this noble piece of legislation, the
reintegration into society of deserving prisoners is made more reasonably
possible to them. And this is attuned to each and everyone’s desire of
making ours a humane and genuinely safe society.



Accordingly, passage of the bill is earnestly sought.

HON. L¥O P. CANONIGO


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

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

Introduced by the Honorable Ranulfo P. Canonigo

AN ACT
MANDATING THE GRANT OF PAROLE TO PRISONERS WHO HAVE
SERVED AT LEAST TWENTY (20) YEARS OF THEIR SENTENCE,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 5 OF ACT 4103, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE INDETERMINATE SENTENCE LAW

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

SECTION 1. Section 5 of Act No. 4103, as amended, otherwise known as the
Indeterminate Sentence Law, is further amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 5. It shall be the duty of the Board of [ Indeterminate Sentence ]
PARDONS AND PAROLE to look into the physical, mental and moral record of
the prisoners who shall be eligible [ to ] FOR parole and to determine the proper
time of release of such prisoners. Whenever any prisoner shall have served AT
LEAST TWENTY (20) YEARS OF HIS OR HER SENTENCE OR the minimum
penalty imposed on him OR HER, and it shall appear to the Board of [
Indeterminate Sentence ] PARDONS AND PAROLE, from the reports of the
prisoner's work and conduct which may be received in accordance with the rules
and regulations prescribed, and from the study and investigation made by the
Board itself, that such prisoner is fitted by his training for release, that there is a
reasonable probability that such prisoner will live and remain at liberty without
violating the law, and that such release will not be incompatible with the welfare
of society, said Board of [ Indeterminate Sentence ] PARDONS AND PAROLE [
may, in its discretion ] SHALL, and in accordance with the rules and regulations
adopted hereunder, authorize the release of such prisoner on parole, upon such
terms and conditions as are herein prescribed and as may be prescribed by the
Board. The said Board of [ Indeterminate Sentence ] PARDONS AND PAROLE
shall also examine the records and status of prisoners who shall have been
convicted of any offense other than those named in Section 2 hereof, and have
been sentenced for more than one year by final judgment prior to the date on


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which this Act shall take effect, and shall make recommendations in all such
cases to the [ Governor-General ] PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES with
regard to the parole of such prisoners as they shall deem qualified for parole as
herein provided, after they shall have served a period of imprisonment not less
than the minimum period for which they might have been sentenced under this
Act for the same offense.”

SEC. 2, The rules and regulations necessary to effectively implement this Act
shall be promulgated by the Board of Pardons and Parole within (60) days from
its effectivity.

SEC. 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not
affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive
orders, issuances, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts
thereof which are contrary to and inconsistent with any provision of this Act are
hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication either in the Official Gazette, or in at least two (2) newspapers of
general circulation, whichever comes earlier.

Approved,