NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE 
Senate BiU No. 1016
Senate
of I!,,,
WG-3 P6 36
received by.
Introduced by Senator Aquilino uKoko” Pimentel III
AN x\CT AMENDING SECTION 9 OF PRESIDENTIAL 
DECREE (P.D.) NO. 968, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
PROBATION LAW OF 1976, AS AMENDED
EXPLANATORY NOTE
One of the purposes of criminal laws is the protection of members 
of society from potential wrongdoers. These laws are directed against 
acts or omissions which society does not approve of, and therefore are 
meant to serve as deterrents for incidents that may claim lives or cause 
damage to property.
Recent events however show that in spite of our criminal laws on 
the matter, deaths caused by imprudence and by negligence involving 
the operation of a motor vehicle have been almost commonplace.
We may have heard of tragedies like those where thirteen (13) out 
of fifteen (15) passengers of an overloaded SUV were killed when the 
SUV fell into an immigration canal in Kalinga; where eleven (11) 
people were killed when a small truck overloaded with party-goers 
overturned when the driver lost control in Balingasag, Misamis 
Oriental; where a seven year old girl was crushed to death when she 
was ran over by a bus in a bus terminal in Sta. Cruz, Manila; where a 
passenger bus which lost control fell off a ravine in the province of 
Quezon; where three passengers died and seven others were injured


after a Ceres bus fell into the 30-meter ravine in Antique; where one 
died and nine were hurt when a truck struck them in Cogeo, Antipolo; 
where four died and two were hurt as truck hit three vehicles in 
Nasugbu, Batangas; and recently, three minors were injured after a 
Ceres bus rammed into a group of people seated at the passenger 
terminal in Dumaguete City.
Apparently, our criminal law on imprudence or negligence has 
not deterred people from acting with reckless abandon or an 
inexcusable lack of precaution. It has been said that the negligent 
persons involved in these tragedies were not in fear of punishment as 
they are aware that even if convicted, they would still be eligible for 
probation and would not be imprisoned.
Studies have shown that there is a negative correlation between 
certainty of imprisonment and crime rate. It is the certainty of 
imprisonment, rather than the penalty, that is a deterrent against crime, 
especially in the case of imprudence and negligence.
To avoid similar tragic events in the future, it is proposed that 
when death is caused by imprudence or by negligence, whether reckless 
or simple, the accused should not be eligible for probation.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought.
AQUILINO ^6KOKO” PIMENTEL III


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1016
of tijf ^rcrcIiiQj
72 AUG-3 P6 36
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Aquilino uKoko” Pimentel III
AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 9 OF PRESIDENTIAL 
DECREE (P.D.) NO. 968, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
PROBATION LAW OF 1976, AS AMENDED
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
SECTION L Section 9 of Presidential Decree No. 968, as
2 
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
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“SEC. 9. Disqualified Offenders. — The benefits of this Decree
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shall not be extended to those:
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“a. sentenced to serve a maximum term of imprisonment of
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more than six (6) years;
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“b. convicted of any crime against the national security;
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“c. who have previously been convicted by final judgment
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of an offense punished by imprisonment of more than six
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(6) months and one (1) day and/or a fine of more than
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one thousand pesos (PI,000.00);
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“d. who have been once on probation under the provisions
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of this Decree; (and)


1 
“e. who are already serving sentence at the time the
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substantive provisions of this Decree became applicable
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pursuant to Section 33 hereof; AND
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F. CONVICTED OF IMPRUDENCE OR
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NEGLIGENCE AS DEFINED UNDER ARTICLE
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365 OF THE REVISED PENAL CODE, WHERE
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THE DEATH 
OF A PERSON HAS BEEN
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CAUSED.’’
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SEC. 2. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
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after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2)
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newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,