Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

EQISTR ATION UNIT
BILLS AND INDEX $

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 8515

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE XAVIER JESUS D, ROMUALDO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The late Representative Pedro P. Romualdo originally filed this bill in the 15" Congress. This
bill was then re-filed in the 16" Congress.

legal gambling is a universally recognized social ill that is known to result in the squandering,
of income and the disintegration of families, lead to the commission of crimes, and is a source of
corruption. Hence, the State condemns and criminalizes illegal gambling activities. However,
despite the campaign against illegal gambling, it continues to subsist and remain prevalent in the
country

The suppression of illegal gambling will require a comprehensive approach from and the joint
efforts of both the government and the public. In the meantime, Congress should adopt more
stringent measures against illegal gambling as part of its contribution to the campaign against the
same, This proposed measure is a step in that direction as it seeks to increase the penalties
against those who engage in illegal gambling activities. The imposition of heavier penalties will
show the seriousness with which Congress views the problem of illegal gambling and is in
fulfillment of Congress’s responsibility of ensuring that the laws of the land are able to meet and
respond to the challenges of the present times

Hence, the favorable support of the Members of Congress for the prompt and timely passage of

this measure is earnestly sought

XAVIER JESUS D, ROMUALDO



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

8515

HOUSE BILL NO.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE XAVIER JESUS D. ROMUALDO.

AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 1 OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO, 1602, PRESCRIBING
STIFFER PENALTIES ON ILLEGAL GAMBLING

Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Presidential Decree No, 1602 is hereby amended, as follows:

Section 1, Penalties. The following penalties are hereby imposed

(a) The penalty of prision correccional in its [medium] MAXIMUM
period for] AND a fine ranging from FIFTY THOUSAND
(P50,000,00) TO ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND (P100,000.00)
PESOS, and in cases of recidivism, the penalty of prision mayor in its
[medium] MAXIMUM period [or] AND a fine ranging from [five
thousand to ten thousand) ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
(P100,000.00) TO ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND

(P150,000.00) PESOS shall be imposed upon:

(1) XXX

(2) Any person who shall knowingly permit any form of gambling
referred to in the preceding sub-paragraph to be carried on in an
inhabited or uninhabited place or in any building, vessel or other

means of transportation owned or controlled by him. If the place


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where gambling is carried on has a reputation of a gambling place
or that prohibited gambling is frequently carried on therein, or the
place is or government building or barangay hall, the malefactor
shall be punished by [prision correccional] PRISION MAYOR in
its [maximum] MINIMUM period and a fine of [six thousand]

ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P150,000,00).

(b) The penalty of [prision correccional in its maximum] PRISION

MAYOR IN ITS MEDIUM period [or] AND a fine of [six thousand]
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) shall be
imposed upon the maintainer or conductor of the above gambling

schemes,

(c) The penalty of prision mayor in its [medium] MAXIMUM period with

[temporary] PERPETUAL absolute disqualification [or] AND a fine of
[six thousand] TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P
200,000.00) shall be imposed if the maintainer, conductor or banker of
said gambling schemes is a government official, or where such
government official is a player, promoter, referee, umpire, judge or

coach in case of game-fixing, point-shaving and machination,

(d) The penalty of prision correccional in its (medium) MAXIMUM

period [or] AND a fine ranging from (four hundred to two thousand)
TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS  (P20,000.00) TO FIFTY
THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person
who shall, knowingly and without lawful purpose in any hour or any
day, possess any lottery list, paper pertaining to or in any manner used
in the games of jueteng, jai alai or horse racing, bookings, and similar
games of lotteries and numbers which have taken place or about to

take place


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(e) The penalty of [temporary] PERMANENT absolute disqualification
shall be imposed upon any barangay official who with knowledge of
existence of a gambling house or place in his jurisdiction fails to abate

the same or take action in connection herewith,

(®) The penalty of prision [correccional] MAYOR in its [maximum]
MINIMUM period [or] AND a fine ranging from [five hundred pesos
to two thousand pesos] TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS (P20,000.00)
TO FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) shall be imposed upon
any security, security guard, watchman, private or house detective of
hotels, villages, buildings, enclosures, and the like which have the
reputation of a gambling place or where gambling activities are being

held,
SEC, 2. All laws, decrees, executive orders and issuances, rules and regulations, and
other issuances, or parts thereof, that are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby

repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official

Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,