Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Penal Code, Articles 171 and 172 severely punish any person who falsifies a 
document.  Despite these provisions, falsification of titles of land remains unabated.  
These prohibited acts make a mockery of the stability and reliability of the certificates 
of title under the Torrens System. 
This bill seeks to curb the practice of fabrication of Torrens Title by imposing stiffer 
penalties upon any person who shall falsify these documents. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
August 3, 2023
12:01 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
AMENDING ACT NO. 3815, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
PENAL CODE, ARTICLES 171 AND 172, IMPOSING STIFFER PENALTIES FOR 
THE FALSIFICATION OF TORRENS CERTIFICATES OF TITLE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 171 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as the Penal 
Code, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Art. 171. Falsification by public officer, employee or notary or ecclesiastic 
minister.  The penalty of prision mayor and a fine not to exceed Five Thousand 
Pesos (P5,000.00) shall be imposed upon any public officer, employee, or 
notary who, taking advantage of his official position, shall falsify a document by 
committing any of the following acts: 
xxx 
xxx 
xxx 
The same penalty shall be imposed upon any ecclesiastical minister who shall 
commit any of the offenses enumerated in the preceding paragraphs of this 
article, with respect to any record or document of such character that its 
falsification may affect the civil status of persons. 
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THE PENALTY OF RECLUSION TEMPORAL IN ITS MAXIMUM PERIOD AND 
A FINE OF FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) SHALL BE IMPOSED 
UPON ANY PUBLIC OFFICER WHO SHALL FALSIFY A TORRENS 
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE BY COMMITTING ANY OF THE ACTS 
ENUMERATED ABOVE OR BY CAUSING THE SPURIOUS MANUFACTURE 
OF THE SAME. 
 
Sec. 2. Article 172 of Act No. 3815 as amended, otherwise known as the Revised 
Penal Code, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Art. 172. Falsification by Private Individuals and Use of Falsified Documents. 
– The penalty of prision correcional and its medium and maximum periods and 
a fine of not more than Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) shall be imposed 
upon: 
 
(1)  
Any private individual who shall commit any of the falsifications 
enumerated in the next preceding article in any public or official 
document or letter of exchange or any other kind of commercial 
document.  PROVIDED, THAT, THE PENALTY OF PRISION MAYOR 
AND A FINE OF TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P25,000.00) 
SHALL BE IMPOSED IF SAID PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL FALSIFIES A 
TORRENS CERTIFICATE OF TITLE OR CONSPIRES WITH THE 
PUBLIC OFFICER MENTIONED IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING 
ARTICLE IN THE FALSIFICATION OF THE SAME; and 
 
(2)  
Any person who, to the damage of a third party, or with the intent to 
cause such damage, shall in any private document commit any of the 
acts of falsification enumerated in the next preceding article. 
 
Any person who shall knowingly introduce any evidence in any judicial proceeding or 
to the damage of another who, with the intent to cause such damage, shall use any of 
the false documents embraced in the next preceding article, or in any of the foregoing 
subdivision of this article, shall be punished by the penalty next lower in degree. 
 


 
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. – Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or 
inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
 
Sec. 4. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,