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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session  
House Bill No. ____ 
Introduced by 
Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Kidnapping is a heinous crime that continues to be committed, despite penalties as 
intense as life imprisonment to death. This bill seeks to further expand the penalty of kidnapping 
by decreasing the number of detention days from more than five (5) to more than three (3), for 
the event to be considered a kidnapping or serious illegal detention, even if none of the other 
conditions in Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code are present. 
Moreover, this bill identifies and penalizes Hoax Kidnapping—a willfully-orchestrated 
detention for the purpose of demanding ransom, as a separate crime all together. Despite the fact 
that no real detention may occur, the deception and illusion of an authentic kidnapping still 
exacts mental, emotional, and financial damages on concerned persons. This bill seeks a penalty 
of prison correccional or a fine of P100,000 to P1,000,000 or both, depending on the court’s 
discretion.  
  Lucy Torres-Gomez      
October 11, 2021
12:48 pm
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session  
House Bill No. 
Introduced by 
Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez 
AN ACT EXTENDING THE COVERAGE OF THE LAW IN KIDNAPPING AND 
PENALIZING HOAX KIDNAPPING AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 267 
OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT 18 AND 
FURTHER AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT 6127 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, is hereby amended to 
read as follows: 
“Art. 267-A. Kidnapping and serious illegal detention.—Any private individual who 
shall kidnap or detain another, or in any other manner deprive him of his liberty, shall 
suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death: 
“1. If the kidnapping or detention shall have lasted three days or more. 
“2. If it shall have been committed simulating public authority.  
“3. If any serious physical injuries shall have been inflicted upon the person kidnapped or 
detained, or if threats to kill him or her shall have been made.  
“4. If the person kidnapped or detained shall be a minor, female or a public officer. 
“The penalty shall be death where the kidnapping or detention was committed for the 
purpose of extorting ransom from the victim or any other person, even if none of the 
circumstances above mentioned were present in the commission of the offense.” 
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“Art. 267-B. Hoax Kidnapping and Hoax Illegal Detention.—When the kidnapping is 
willfully orchestrated by the victim and that of his family or both in conspiracy with the 
perpetrators, to obtain money or any kind as a  ransom, shall suffer the penalty of prison 
correccional or fine of  not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but not 
more than One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00) or both at the discretion of the court, in 
favor of the government.” 
 
 
SEC. 2. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared to 
be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected 
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.  
 
SEC. 3. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees,  executive orders, rules and regulations, 
and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, 
amended or modified accordingly.  
 
SEC. 4. Effectivity Clause. – The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,