FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
s. B. NO. 
601 
Introduced by Senator JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
One of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution is the right 
to speedy disposition of cases. Section 16 of Article 111, Bill of Rights provides: 
"All persons shall have the right to speedy disposition of their cases before all 
judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative cases." 
But it is a saddening truth that most of our citizens cannot invoke such 
right due to the unnecessary delays in the disposition of criminal cases. Manifest 
among the cause of such delay is the volume of cases brought to court for 
settlement, adjudication and review, surpassing the capabilities of the police and 
the courts to address speedily and competently. 
A greater number of the cases that monopolize the attention and energies 
of our police force, prosecutors, judges and prison authorities involve minor 
offenses, transgressions that are oftentimes due to psychological disorders 
rather that dolo or culpa on the part of the offender, or acts or omissions that 
cause little or no damage to life, liberty, property or community. Thus, there is a 
need to decriminalize certain acts and omissions defined and penalized under 
the Revised Penal Code to make it responsive to the right to speedy disposition 
of cases as mandated by the Constitution. 
This bill seeks to decriminalize the following felonies as found in the 
Revised Penal Code: simple disobedience to an agent of a person in authority 
(Art. 151), refusal of assistance (Art. 233), refusal to discharge elective office 
(Art. 234), abandonment of minor by persons entrusted with his custody and care 
and indifference of parents (Art. 277) and premature marriages (Art. 351). 
This bill also seeks to modify the penal sanctions on the crimes of 
usurpation of duties of a public office (Art. 236) and reckless imprudence and 
negligence resulting to damage to property (Art. 365) from deprivation of liberty 
to the imposition of fines, indemnification, restitution, compensation and 
community service on the offender. Ultimately, this proposed legislation aims to 
decongest the dockets of the police, prosecution, courts and correctional 
agencies, thereby affecting efficiency and competency in the administration of 
justice in the country. 
In view of the aforementioned, approval of this bill is fervently requested. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
S.B.NO. 
603. 
Introduced by Senator JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BY DECRIMINALIZING 
CERTAIN FELONIES UNDER THE REVISED PENAL CODE AND 
PROVIDING FOR THE IMPOSITION OF ALTERNATIVE PENA 
SHORT OF DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY AND FOR CERTAIN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTlON I. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared that the policy of the 
State to provide for a more humane, realistic and responsive mode of dealing 
with criminal offenders. This objective shall be attained, among others, by 
decriminalizing or declaring as lawful certain offenses that inflict no harm or only 
minimal damage to society and by the imposition of alternative penalties short of 
deprivation of liberty as regards to certain offenses. 
SEC. 2.Offenses Decriminalized. - The following offenses are hereby 
decriminalized: 
a. 
b. 
Simple disobedience to an agent of a person in authority as defined 
in Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code; 
Alarms and scandals as defined in Article 155 of the Revised Penal 
Code except those committed inside public buildings, churches and 
schools on occasions when there are assemblies of official 
functions taking place. 
Vagrancy as defined in Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code: 
Provided, that prostitution as defined by the same Article shall 
continue to be punishable. 
Refusal of assistance as defined in Article 233 of the Revised Penal 
Code 
Refusal to discharge elective office as defined in Article 234 of the 
Revised Penal Code 
Premature marriages as defined in Article 351 of the Revised Penal 
Code 
All offenses similar to the foregoing which are penalized by special 
laws or ordinances. 
c. 
d. 
e. 
f. 
g. 
SEC. 3. Offenses With Substituted Penalties. - In lieu of the existing 
penalties involving deprivation of liberty for anticipation of duties of a public office 


as defined in Article 236 and reckless imprudence and negligence as defined in 
Article 365 resulting only in damage to property, respectively, of the Revised 
Penal Code, the following sanctions shall be imposed either alternatively or 
cumulatively in the discretion of the Court: 
a. 
fine 
b. 
Indemnification 
C. 
Restitution 
d. 
Compensation 
e. 
Community service for not more than thirty (30) days. 
SEC. 4, Transitory Provisions. - All cases pending before the courts and 
the prosecutors' offices involving offenses decriminalized herein shall be ipso 
facto dismissed andlor terminated. All convicts serving sentence herein 
decriminalized shall be released immediately. 
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees or executive orders, rules 
and regulations, ordinances, or parts thereof, contrary to or inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed. 
SEC. 6. Separability Clause . - If any provision of this Act is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 7. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,