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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
)
L ' i .  
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' a
S 5; N A T  EL 
S.B. No. 
O
■19 
JU L-1 
A 9:46
In tro d u ced  by SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
INCREASING THE PENALTY FOR THE CRIME OF PERJURY, AMENDING 
FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 183 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Every now and then, we hear stories of people being charged with the 
crime of perjury - it could be in the news or just in the neighborhood. 
Perjury in layman’s term is the act of lying under oath - either verbally in a 
proceeding or written, through an affidavit executed before a person 
authorized to administer an oath. It is an act which undermines the 
solemnity of the oath that one has undertook to “tell the truth, the whole 
truth, and nothing but the truth”
In the advent of the internet and social media, discovering the 
inconsistent and untruthful statements made in public of the perjurer could 
easily be done. Yet, a lot of people - prominent or otherwise - would 
subsequently and without batting an eyelash change their stories made 
under oath like it was not a big deal. People committing such an act are not 
mindful of the possible consequences of their vile act. This may be partly 
due to the irnposable penalty that goes with the crime of perjury.
Under Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, the crime of false 
testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation has an 
irnposable penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision 
correccional in its minimum period. This is equivalent to an imprisonment of 
six (6) months to two (2) years and two (2) months. Such a penalty is just 
light as compar'ed with other jurisdictions.


In the United States, particularly in the State of California, it 
considers perjury as a capital offense - same with murder or attempted 
murder. In Queensland, Australia, perjury is punishable by up to life 
imprisonment.
With all of these being said, it is high time that the penalty for the 
crime of perjury be increased to prision mayor in its minimum to medium 
periods - which is equivalent to an imprisonment of six (6) yeai's and one (1) 
day to ten (10) years. This is for the purpose of preventing the commission of 
the same.
Thus, the approval of this measure is earnestly sought.
VICENTE Cl SOTTO III


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E  
S.B. No. 
8
-1 
A 9 :4 6
In tro d u ced  by SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III
AN ACT
INCREASING THE PENALTY FOR THE CRIME OF PERJURY, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE 183 OF THE 
REVISED PENAL CODE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the Philippines in Congress assem bled:
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SECTION 1. Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code is
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am ended to read as follows:
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“Art. 183. False testimony in other cases and perjury in 
solemn affirmation. The penalty of PRISION MAYOR IN 
ITS MINIMUM PERIOD TO PRISION MAYOR IN ITS 
MEDIUM PERIOD shall be imposed upon any person, 
who knowingly m akes untruthful statem ents and not 
being included in the provisions of the next preceding 
articles, shall testify under oath, or m ake an affidavit, 
upon any m aterial m atter before a com petent person 
authorized to adm inister an oath in cases in which the 
law so requires.”


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SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. -  Any law, presidential
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decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, rule or
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regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby
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repealed or modified accordingly.
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SECTION 3. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect
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after fifteen (15) days from the date of its publication in the
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Official Gazette or a new spaper of general circulation.
Approved.