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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate BiU No. 2207
•• If SjH'UtUC
of the s,s ''Tctflrv
23 MAY 17 A10:24
RUCciVLiJ' wV
Introduced by Senator Aquilino MKokofT Pimentel III
AN ACT AMENDING ARTICLE 90 OF ACT NO. 3815, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE,
AS AMENDED
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Life is precious. In all civilized societies preservation of life is 
paramount; hence offending acts where life or lives are taken are 
punished in various level of severity. In our jurisdiction, the crimes of 
murder, parricide, and infanticide are punished by reclusion perpetua 
to death while homicide is punished by reclusion temporal.
The prosecution of a crime, however, prescribes. The law on 
prescription is an act of amnesty and liberality on the part of the State 
in favor of the offender. This is found in Article 90 of the Revised Penal 
Code.
New developments in science and technology, however, 
have advanced so fast with so much accuracy that unsolved crimes 
where life or lives have been taken can now be solved using new 
technologies. One clear example is DNA testing. There are many cases 
involving murders which were solved using DNA technology years 
after they happened. It is the same with facial reconstruction 
technology. From skeletal remains, technology can be used to 
reconstruct the face and appearance of a person, hence his/her possible


\
identification. Forensic Genetic Genealogy (FGG) has been used to 
solve 545 cases as of December 31, 2022.1
Thus, the State should be given all the opportunity to solve crimes 
especially those that involve loss of lives, without being barred by 
prescription.
This bill proposes that prescription no longer be applied to crimes 
involving the taking of human life. It is for this reason that the 
immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
AOUILINO nKOKOff PIMENTEL III
1 Michelle Taylor. How Many Cases Have Been Solved with Forensic Genetic Genealogy?. Forensic.mag.com 
March 3, 2023 < https://www.forensicmag.eom/594940-How-Many-Cases-Have-Been-Solved-with-Forensic- 
Genetic-Genealogy/>


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.Ay
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2207
of tif? fi.ny
23 MAY 17 A10 25
RhCiilViiD iJ
Introduced by Senator Aquilino MKokof? Pimentel III
AN ACT AMENDING ARTICLE 90 OF ACT NO. 3815, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE,
AS AMENDED
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
SECTION 1. Article 90 of Act No. 3815, or “The Revised Penal Code”
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is hereby amended to read as follows:
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Article 90. Prescription of crimes. — Crimes punishable by
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death, reclusion perpetua or reclusion temporal shall prescribe in
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twenty years.
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Crimes punishable by other afflictive penalties shall
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prescribe in fifteen years.
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Those punishable by a correctional penalty shall prescribe in
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ten years; with the exception of those punishable by arresto
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mayor, which shall prescribe in five years.
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The crime of libel or other similar offenses shall prescribe in
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one year.
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The offenses of oral defamation and slander by deed shall
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prescribe in six months.
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Light offenses prescribe in two months.
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When the penalty fixed by law is a compound one, the
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highest penalty shall be made the basis of the application of the


1 
rules contained in the first, second and third paragraphs of this
2 
article.
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PROVIDED, THAT THE CRIMES OF MURDER,
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PARRICIDE, INFANTICIDE, HOMICIDE, AND OTHER
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CRIMES BY REASON OR ON OCCASION OF WHICH
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HOMICIDE IS COMMITTED, SHALL NOT PRESCRIBE;
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PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT THIS SHALL NOT APPLY
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TO RECKLESS IMPRUDENCE RESULTING IN
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HOMICIDE AS DEFINED UNDER ARTICLE 365 OF THE
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REVISED PENAL CODE.
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SEC. 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, rules
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and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby
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repealed or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 3. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
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circulation.
Approved,