EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S E N A T E  r 
Senate Bill No. 2 8
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'19 
JUL -1 
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Introduced by SENATOR LACSON
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AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLES 180, 183 AND 184 OF SECTION TWO, 
CHAPTER TWO, TITLE FOUR OF ACT NO. 3815, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE, AS AMENDED.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
lying witness can make as positive an identification as a truthful witness 
can. The lying witness can also say as forthrightly and unequivocally, ‘He did itl’ 
without blinking an eye.
In our criminal justice system, the testimony of a witness, especially that of 
an eyewitness, is crucial. The direct and positive identification by a witness is 
given considerable weight by our courts. In the same vein, prosecutors often rely 
on testimonies under oath or sworn affidavits in finding probable cause for the 
purpose of filing information before the courts. It is therefore a fundamental rule 
that sworn testimonies should be honest and should not leave any room for 
inconsistency and untruthfulness.
Testimonies before the court and sworn affidavits are made under the 
sacred oath of truth. However, it is worrying that the sacredness of statements 
made before the courts and that of sworn affidavits are being disregarded. The 
assertion of falsehood, under oath or affirmation, is becoming prevalent. False 
testimonies and sworn statements are sometimes being used to support malicious 
complaints with the intent of harassing and persecuting innocent persons. This 
pernicious practice is aimed not only to harass innocent persons but also to put 
them behind bars and make their families suffer. It is noteworthy that because of 
these untruthful and inconsistent statements, we have witnessed how some men 
were robbed of their youth and freedom for a long period of time only to be freed 
later on account that the reason for their incarceration was based on a “polluted 
source”.
The prevalence of untruthftil testimonies and statements may be deterred if 
public officials and employees are responsible and prudent. They shall e.xercise 
vigilance in their quest for the truth, and uphold the rule of law and not their thirst 
for victory at the expense of others. However, it is appalling that public officials 
and employees, themselves, encourage, induce or even force a person to assert 
falsehood under oath.
LEJANO vs. PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, G.R.No. 176389. December 14,2010.


Some public prosecutors, in violation of the code of their profession2, 
suppress facts and conceal witnesses capable of establishing the innocence of the 
accused instead of making sure that justice is observed. Sometimes, they even 
offer false testimonies and perjured witnesses to support their unfounded charges. 
Thus, the duty to uphold the truth is discounted in order to further their evil 
designs or that of their superiors or sometimes just to have a closure on a case.
This Bill seeks to deter the commission of the crimes of false testimony and 
perjury in solemn affirmation and uphold the sacredness of oath in testimonies and 
sworn statements by increasing the penalty for their commission, amending for the 
purpose Articles 180, 183 and 184 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended. 
Likewise, public official or employees who facilitate or induce another person to 
commit the said crimes shall be likewise be held liable and perpetually 
disqualified from holding a public office or employment.
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this measure is earnestly 
requested.
panfiubI ^ acson
^^ator
■ Rule 6.01, Canon 6 of the Code of Professional Responsibility


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
} 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
}
First Regular Session 
}
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 28
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lOKitc of tiic © i ■ i i'tarp
'19 
JU L-1 
A10 5 2
Introduced by SENATOR LACSON
RECuO’ 4. L;.
AN ACT TO AMEND ARTICLES 180,183 AND 184 OF SECTION TWO, 
CHAPTER TWO, TITLE FOUR OF ACT NO. 3815, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE, AS AMENDED.
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled:
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SEC. 1. Section 180 of Act No. 3815, as amended, is hereby further
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amended to read as follows:
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“Art. 180. False testimony against a defendant. — Any person who
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shall give false testimony against the defendant in any
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criminal case shall suffer [:
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1. The penalty of reclusion temporal, if the defendant in said
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case shall have been sentenced to death;
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2. The penalty of prision mayor, if the defendant shall have
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been sentenced to reclusion temporal or reclusion perpetua;
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3. The penalty of prision correccional, if the defendant shall
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have been sentenced to any other afflictive penalty; and
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4. The penalty of arresto mayor, if the defendant shall have
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been sentenced to a correctional penalty or a fine, or shall have
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been acquitted.] THE SAME PENALTY FOR THE
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FELONY THE DEFENDANT IS BEING ACCUSED OF.
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PROVIDED, THAT, IF THE PERSON WHO WILL


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INDUCE OR ORDER THE COMMISSION OF THIS 
FELONY IS A PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE, 
THE 
PENALTY 
SHALL 
BE 
IMPOSED 
IN 
ITS 
MAXIMUM PERIOD. PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT, 
THE OFFENDER SHALL SUFFER A FINE NOT TO 
EXCEED ONE MILLION PESOS (Php 1,000,000.00) 
AND PERPETUAL ABSOLUTE DISQUALIFICATION 
FROM HOLDING ANY APPOINTIVE OR ELECTIVE 
POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT OR IN ANY 
AGENCY, 
ENTITY 
OR 
INSTRUMENTALITY 
THEREOF.
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[In cases provided in subdivisions 3 and 4 of this article the 
offender shall further suffer a fine not to exceed 1,000 pesos.”]
SEC. 2. Section 183 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows:
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‘Art. 183. False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn 
affirmation. — The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum 
period to prision correccional in its minimum period shall be 
imposed upon any person, who knowingly makes untruthful 
statements and not being included in the provisions of the 
next preceding articles, shall testify under oath, or make an 
affidavit, upon any material matter before a competent person 
authorized to administer an oath in cases in which the law so 
requires.
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Any person who, in case of a solemn affirmation made in lieu 
of an oath, shall commit any of the falsehoods mentioned in 
this and the three preceding articles of this section, shall 
suffer the respective penalties provided therein.
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ANY PERSON WHO SHALL INCRIMINATE OR 
IMPUTE, 
THROUGH 
FALSE 
TESTIMONY 
OR 
UNTRUTHFUL STATEMENTS UNDER OATH OR


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THROUGH AN AFFIDAVIT, ANY PERSON THE 
COMMISSION OF A CRIME SHALL SUEFER THE 
SAME PENALTY AS THAT BEING IMPOSED TO THE 
CIHME HE IS IMPUTING. PROVIDED, THAT, IF THE 
PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COMMISSION OF 
THIS 
FELONY 
IS 
A 
PUBLIC 
OFFICER 
OR 
EMPLOYEE, THE PENALTY SHALL BE IMPOSED IN 
ITS MAXIMUM PERIOD. 
PROVIDED, FURTHER, 
THAT, THE OFFENDER SHALL ALSO SUFFER A 
FINE NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION PESOS (Php 
1,000,000.00) 
AND 
PERPETUAL 
ABSOLUTE 
DISQUALIFICATION 
FROM 
HOLDING 
ANY 
APPOINTIVE OR ELECTIVE POSITION IN THE 
GOVERNMENT OR IN ANY AGENCY, ENTITY OR 
INSTRUMENTALITY THEREOF.
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SEC. 3. Section 184 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further
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amended to read as follows:
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“Art. 184. Offering false testimony in evidence. — Any person 
who shall knowingly offer in evidence a false witness or 
testimony in any judicial or official proceeding, shall be 
punished as guilty of false testimony and shall suffer the 
respective penalties provided in this section. IF THE 
PERSON WHO OFFERED THE FALSE TESTIMONY 
AS 
EVIDENCE 
IS 
A 
PUBLIC 
OFFICER 
OR 
EMPLOYEE, THE PENALTY SHALL BE IMPOSED IN 
ITS MAXIMUM PERIOD. IN ADDITION THERETO, 
IF THE OFFENDER IS A PUBLIC OFFICER OR 
EMPLOYEE, HE SHALL ALSO SUFFER A FINE NOT 
TO EXCEED ONE MILLION PESOS (Php 1,000,000.00) 
AND PERPETUAL ABSOLUTE DISQUALIFICATION 
FROM HOLDING ANY APPOINTIVE OR ELECTIVE 
POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT OR ANY AGENCY, 
ENTITY OR INSTRUMENTALITY THEREOF.


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SEC. 4. Separability Clause. -  If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
provisions thereof.
SEC. 5. Repealing Clause, — All laws, decrees, orders and issuances or 
portion thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
SEC. 6. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,