NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 860
«©fficp of tijc
*22 JUL25 P2:10
RliCElVED BY;
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AN ACT
PENALIZING ANY PERSON PROVIDING OR POSSESSING CONTRABAND 
AND THOSE WHO SHALL AID OR ABET THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SAME 
INSIDE ANY PRISON FACILITY ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF 
JUSTICE, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The Comprehensive Operations Manual Revised 2015 of the Bureau of Jail 
Management and Penology (BJMP) defined contraband as "any article, item, or thing 
prohibited by law and/or forbidden by jail rules that would pose as security hazards 
or endanger the lives of inmates. For this policy, contraband is further divided into 
the following categories: Illegal contraband - unlawful in itself and not because of 
some extraneous circumstance (i.e. dangerous drugs, weapons, potential weapons, 
explosives); merely prohibited and nuisance contraband - are those that may not be 
classified as illegal under the law but are forbidden by jail rules (i.e. cellphone, 
money or other commodities of exchange such as jewelry, appliances and gadgets, 
excessive wearing apparels and sleeping paraphernalia. Intoxicating liquors, 
cigarettes, pornographic materials, gambling paraphernalia and other products that 
are considered vices).
Despite the prohibition of these materials, they proliferate in the various penal 
facilities in the country. Worst, there are even cases when policemen are accused of 
being involved in smuggling contraband even In facilities where high-profile inmates 
are detained.


This proposed ''Anti-Contraband in Prisons Act of 2022' seeks to strictly 
monitor and regulate the ingress and egress of any person in any prison facility to 
prevent the entry of prohibited objects or contraband. Section 3 contains a list of 
the said contraband. This aims to ensure a true and complete reformation and 
rehabilitation of the inmates for their eventual reintegration to the society.
This measure was filed by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson In the 18th Congress.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is highly 
recommended.
RAMO^ONG REVILLA, 3R.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
860
.•Senate
'22 JUL 25 P2:10
Rl-CEiVtD BY:
S. No.
Introduced by SENATOR RAMON BONG REVILLA, JR.
AS^ ACT
PENALIZING ANY PERSON PROVIDING OR POSSESSING CONTRABAND 
AND THOSE WHO SHALL AID OR! ABET THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SAME 
INSIDE ANY PRISON FACILITY ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF 
JUSTICE, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title, - This Act shall be known as the ''Anti-Contraband in
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Prison Act of2022’.
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The maintenance of peace and order, the
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protection of life, liberty and property, and the promotion of general welfare are
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essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy. To
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implement this policy, the State is mandated to enact laws aimed at achieving a just
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and orderly society governed by rules and regulations made applicable to all and not
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just to a chosen few. Recent inspections in our penal facilities including the New
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Bilibid Prisons show that some inmates incarcerated in our penal institutions continue
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to enjoy the luxuries they were accustomed to while they were outside the prison
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compound. To remedy this seeming inequity and to truly implement the thrust of one
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of the five pillars of our justice system, a mechanism for the effective implementation
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of the goal of the said pillars, particularl y reformation, should be instituted. Towards
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this end, the State shall strictly monitor and regulate the Ingress and egress of any
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person In any prison facility and provide the appropriate sanction to be imposed on
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any person found to be violating the rules set forth herein.


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Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the term:
(a) Person refer to natural persons and shall include private individuals as 
well as government / public official or employee In cahoots with the 
prisoner;
(b) Prison means a correctional, detention or penal facility or any prison, 
institution, or facility under the control and supervision of the Department 
of Justice (DOJ) in which persons are held In custody for violation of law or 
commission of a felony;
(c) Firearms, Ammunition and Explosive or Incendiary Device shall have the 
same meaning as provided for in accordance with Republic Act No. 10591, 
otherwise known as the! "Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition 
Regulations Act" and Section 3 of Presidential Decree 1866 as amended by 
Republic Act Nos. 8294 and 9516;
(d) Dangerous Drugs shall have the same meaning as that provided for in 
Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the "Comprehensive Dangerous 
Drugs Act of 2002" and all other illegal substances prohibited therein 
Including but not limited to Ecstacy, Methamphetamine Hydrochloride or 
Shabu and other drugs producing similar effects;
(e) Prohibited Object or Contraband includes:
(1) a firearm incendiary device or dangerous drugs as defined herein;
(2) ammunition, weapon or an object that is designed or intended to be 
used as a weapon or to facilitate the detained persons escape from 
prison;
(3) any alcoholic or intoxicating beverage;
(4) any money whether Philippine or Foreign denominated currency;
(5) a cell phone, laptop computer, accessories thereof, or any device 
used for purposes of communicating with the outside world for 
commercial purposes including signal jammers to prevent the 
authorities from detei mining their use of the aforementioned 
devices;


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(6) luxury items such as but not limited to electronic devices, jewelry or
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any other objects of such nature that should otherwise not be found
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inside the penal institution; and,
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(7) any other object that threatens the order, discipline, or security of a
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prison, or the life, health, or safety of an individual detained therein.
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Sec. 4. Registration Requirement - All persons desiring to visit his/her relative
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detained in any prison facility shall, before or during the actual visit, prepare and
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accomplish before any prison official in charge of manning the entrance of the said
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facility a registration form which shall contain the following information:
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(a) Full name and complete address of the visitor who shall be accompanied by
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any of the following documents, to wit:
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(1) A valid identification card with photograph;
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(2) 
A valid passport;
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(3) 
Driver's license;
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(4) Social Security System identification card;
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(5) 
Company identification card;
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(6) Government Service Insurance System identification card;
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(7) 
Voter's identification card;
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(8) 
Senior citizen card;
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(9) 
School identification card; or,
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(10) National Identification card.
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(b) His/her relationship to the person to be visited;
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(c) The things or objects he/she is bringing to the person to be visited; and,
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(d) Unless related to the detained person or the latter's counsel of record, the
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purpose of said visit.
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Sec. 5. Prohibited Acts. - Any person who commits any of the following
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prohibited acts shall be punished in accordance with the preceding section -
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(a) In violation of any law or any rules and regulations issued in relation
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thereto or any rules and regulations implemented by prison authorities
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of the penal facility, provides to an inmate of a prison any prohibited
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objects or contraband, or attempts to do so; or.


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(b) Assists, aids, or abets in the procurement by an inmate of the prohibited 
objects or contraband defined herein; or,
(c) Being an inmate of a prison makes, possesses or obtains, or attempts to 
make or obtain a prohibited object or contraband.
Sec. 6. Pena! Provisions. -
(a) For failure to comply with the registration requirement: any persons who 
shall commit a violation of Section 4 hereof shall suffer the penalty of 
imprisonment ranging from one (1) day to five (5) days or a fine of One 
Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00);
(b) For violation of Section 5 (a): the penalty of Imprisonment ranging from 
twenty (20) years and one (1) day to forty (40) years and a fine of Ten 
million pesos (P10,000,000.00) if the prohibited object or contraband 
involved is covered by Section 3 (5)(a)(b);
If the prohibited object or contraband involved is other than the 
abovementioned, the penalty shall be six (6) years and one (1) day to 
twelve (12) years and a fine of One million pesos (P1,000,000.00). 
These penalties shall be served consecutively after the service of 
sentence imposed by the court on the possession of the prohibited object 
or contraband;
(c) For violation of Section 5 (b): The penalty of imprisonment ranging from 
twelve (12) years and one (1) day to twenty (20) years and a fine of 
Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) If the prohibited object or contraband 
is covered by Section 3(5)(a)(b). Otherwise, the penalty shall be six (6) 
years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years and a fine of One million 
pesos (P1,000,000.00);
(d) For violation of Section 5 (c): The penalty of imprisonment ranging from 
twenty (20) years and one (1) day to forty (40) years and a fine of Ten 
million pesos (PIO,000,000,00) if the prohibited object or contraband is 
covered by Section 3(5)(a)(b). Otherwise, the penalty shall be six (6) 
years and one (1) day to twelve (12) years and a fine of One million 
pesos (P1,000,000.00). The said penalty shall be in addition to the 
original penalty to which the inmate was sentenced to serve.


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If the offender is a public official or employee, he shall, in addition to the
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penalties herein provided, suffer the additional penalty of absolute perpetual
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disqualification from holding public office and the forfeiture of ail his retirement
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benefits and accrued leave credits.
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Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
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approval of this Act, the DOJ in coordinacion with the Department of the Interior and
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Local Government (DILG), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and
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the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to
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implement its provisions.
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Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If ^ ny provision or part hereof is held invalid or
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise
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affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
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Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or
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inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, modified, or amended
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accordingly.
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Sec. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after Its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of genera! circulation.
Approved,