Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. ______ 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: HON. CARL NICOLAS C. CARI 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The dignity and privacy of road accident victims deserve utmost respect and protection. In 
recent years, the increasing use of smartphones and social media has enabled the rapid recording 
and dissemination of graphic images of road accidents, often without the consent of the persons 
involved or their families. Such non-consensual sharing of images not only violates the right to 
privacy but also inflicts further trauma and emotional distress on victims and their loved ones. 
This proposed measure seeks to prohibit the unauthorized recording, broadcast, and 
publication of protected images of road accident victims on social media platforms. It establishes 
clear standards to protect the identities of accident victims while recognizing reasonable 
exceptions for legitimate law enforcement functions, emergency response, and ethical news 
reporting. 
By penalizing the non-consensual recording and dissemination of protected images, this bill 
aims to foster a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability. It also provides a framework for 
cooperation with social media platforms to ensure timely takedowns of prohibited content and 
safeguard the welfare of road accident victims. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
CARL NICOLAS C. CARI 
Representative          
5th District, Leyte    
July 29, 2025
4:39 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. ______ 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: HON. CARL NICOLAS C. CARI 
______________________________________________________________________________ 
AN ACT PROHIBITING THE NON-CONSENSUAL RECORDING, 
BROADCASTING, AND PUBLICATION OF PROTECTED IMAGES OF ROAD 
ACCIDENTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, PROVIDING PENALTIES 
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Road Accident Privacy 
Protection Act.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect 
the dignity, privacy, and security of individuals involved in road accidents. The unauthorized 
recording, broadcast, or publication of images depicting the injured, the deceased, or any 
identifiable victim of road accidents on social media platforms without consent constitutes a 
violation of privacy and may inflict undue emotional and psychological harm on victims and their 
families. The State shall, therefore, provide measures to safeguard such protected images and hold 
violators accountable. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms are 
defined as follows: 
(a) Protected Images — refer to photographs, video recordings, or any visual depiction of
a person involved in a road accident, including images of injuries, the deceased, or any
part thereof, which allows the identification of the person involved.
(b) Non-Consensual Recording — refers to capturing images of road accident victims
without their prior express consent, or, in the case of deceased persons, without the
consent of their next of kin or legal representatives.
(c) Broadcast and Publication — refers to the uploading, sharing, distribution, or
dissemination of protected images through social media platforms, websites, or other
electronic means accessible to the general public.
(d) Social Media Platforms — refer to digital applications or websites that enable users to
create and share content with the public, including but not limited to Facebook,
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and similar platforms.
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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
 
 
SECTION 4. Prohibited Acts. – It shall be unlawful for any person to: 
 
(a) Knowingly record, photograph, or video-capture protected images of persons involved 
in a road accident without their express consent or, in the case of the deceased, without 
consent of their next of kin; 
 
(b) Upload, broadcast, post, share, or otherwise publish such protected images on any 
social media platform without the required consent; 
 
(c) Sell or distribute such protected images for commercial gain without the required 
consent. 
 
SECTION 5. Exceptions. – The prohibition under this Act shall not apply to: 
 
(a) Law enforcement agencies or emergency response personnel acting in the lawful 
discharge of their official duties; 
 
(b) Legitimate news reporting undertaken in good faith and in accordance with ethical 
journalistic standards, provided that the identities of victims are sufficiently protected 
and no gratuitous display of injury or death is made; 
 
(c) Recordings or images taken for official accident investigation or legal proceedings, 
subject to applicable confidentiality rules. 
 
 
(d) Protected image captured through automated filming and recording devices, such as 
but not limited to CCTVs and dashcams, unless the person in custody of the CCTVs 
and dashcams disseminates the protected images captured without the consent of the 
accident victim or immediate kin. 
 
SECTION 6. Consent Requirements. – Consent under this Act must be obtained in writing 
through verifiable electronic means. In the case of deceased victims, the consent of the nearest 
surviving relative within the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity shall be required. 
 
SECTION 7. Penalties. – Any person found to have violated Section 4 of this Act shall be 
punished with: 
 
(a) Imprisonment of not less than one (1) year but not more than three (3) years; 
 
(b) A fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (₱50,000.00) but not more than Two 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (₱200,000.00); or both, at the discretion of the court. 
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
If the violation is committed with intent to extort, or for commercial gain, the penalty shall 
be imprisonment of two (2) years to five (5) years and a fine of ₱200,000.00 to ₱500,000.00. 
 
 
SECTION 8. Liability of Social Media Platforms. – Social media platforms that knowingly 
allow or fail to take down protected images within twenty-four (24) hours from notice by proper 
authorities or the victim shall be administratively liable, and may be fined up to Five Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (₱500,000.00) for each proven violation. 
 
SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), 
in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Philippine National Police 
(PNP), and relevant stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to 
effectively implement this Act. 
 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions shall not be affected. 
 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules, 
and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 12. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
 APPROVED,