HOUSE 9F REPRESENTATIVES
RECEIVED
pared 7 JUL 2016

TIME: RP,

EY:

Republic of the Philippines
House of the Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGR!
First Regular Session

REGISTRATION UNIT

os 2
HOUSE BILL No. _1284 BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE

y Q. Velasco

Introduced by: Congressman Lord Allan Jay

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Revised Penal Code (RPC), also known as Act 3815, had been enacted way back in
December 8, 1930, While the RPC governed our penal laws for more than eight decades the
amounts of monetary fines or penalties punishing crimes remain unchanged, this, despite the
devaluation and inflation which our currency has undergone thru more than eight decades.

In order to uphold the full force and teeth of our penal laws the punishment for
offensive/erimes including the fine, imprisonment and civil disqualification components must
be up to date. With regard to the fine component the amounts are still based on 1930 prices,
the year the law was enacted, ‘The massive inflation and devaluation our curreney has gone
through renders the punitive fine component of the RPC negligible. It is in this Hight that an
adjustment of the fine through an amendment is highly in order

The outdated fines incorporated in the RPC are vividly exhibited in Art of 142 said law,
wherein the value of the fine is yet to be amended

's discretion,

The present bill humbly suggests new amounts, subject to the committe
replacing the old ones using a formula utilizing the available data from the National Statistics
Coordination Board relating to Consumer Price Indexes.

In adjusting the fines accurately the inflation rate computed from 1930 up to the present must
be computed, However, there is no data available for the CP! (Consumer Price Index) earlict
than 1955 in the Philippines and no data available for the CPI from 1986 to 1988, Moreover,
there had been a total of 8 rebasing of base years for the computation of inflation rates (the
ng is to make relevant or update the items included in the basket of goods)

purpose of reba

Given these limitations, the year 1995 is used as the base year for the computation up to 2011
and disregarding the inflation rate in the years 1986 to 1988 making the derived inflation rate
a conservative one. Using the derived inflation rate of 8,012% we can now compute the
adjusted values of fines after factoring in the change in prices in the Philippines, more
precisely the effect of inflation rate.


The following amended version reflects the adjusted fine component for Art 142 rounded o|
to the nearest thousand:

“Art. 142, Inciting to sedition. ~ The penalty of prison correccional in its maximum
period and @ fine not exceeding 160,000 pesos shall be imposed upon any person
who, without taking any direct part in the
omplishment of any of the aets which cons
proclamations, writings, emblems, cartoons, banners, or other representations tending
to the same end, or upon any person or persons who shall utter seditious words or
speeches, write, publish, or circulate scurrilous libel against the Government (of the
United States or the Government of the Commonwealth) of the Philippines. or any of
the duly constituted authorities thereof, or whieh tend to disturb or obstruct any lawful
officer in executing the functions of his office, or which tend to disturb or obstruct
any lawful officer in executing the functions of his office, or which tend to instigate
others to cabal _and meet together for unlawful purposes, or which suggest to incite
rebellious conspiracies or riots, or which lead or tend to stir up the people against the
lawful authorities or to disturb the peace of the community, the safety and order of the
Government, or who shall knowingly conceal such evil practi

ime of sedition, should incite others to the
tute sedition, by means of speeches,

act

‘This moment is certainly the best and opportune time to amend the above mentioned article
of our antiquated RPC.

Immediate passage of this bill is earnestly

ought,

ed

a
LORD ALLANWAY Q. VELASCO.



Republic of the Philippines
House of the Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Pirst Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._1284

Introduced by: Congressman Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

AN ACT AMENDING ARTICLE 142 OF ACT NO, 3815, AS AMENDED,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE.

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress as assembled.

SECTION 1, Article 142 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised
Penal Code, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

“Art. 142. Inciting to sedition, ~ The penalty of prison correceional in its maximum,
period and a fine not exceeding 160,000 pesos shall be imposed upon any person
who, without taking any direct part in the crime of sedition, should incite others to the
accomplishment of any of the acts which constitute sedition, by means of speeches,
proclamations, writings, emblems, cartoons, banners, or other representations tending
to the same end, or upon any person or persons who shall utter seditious words or
speeches, write, publish, or circulate scurrilous libel against the Government (of the
United States or the Government of the Commonwealth) of the Philippines, or any of
the duly constituted authorities thereof, or which tend to disturb or obstruct any lawful
in executing the functions of his office, or which tend to disturb or obstruct
any lawful officer in executing the functions of his office, or which tend to instigate

offic

others to cabal and meet together for unlawful purposes, or which suggest to incite
rebellious conspiracies or riots, or which lead or tend to stir up the people against the
lawful authorities or to disturb the peace of the community, the safety and order of the

Government, or who shall knowingly conceal such evil practices.”

SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. ~ Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive orcler,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with
the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly

SECTION 3. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days afier its
publication in the Official Gazette or at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation

Approved,