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Republie of the Philippines
House of the Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1283

HOUSE BILI. NO

Introduced by: Congressman Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

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 currency has gone through renders the
punitive fine component of the RPC negligible. It is in this light 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the outdated fines incorporated in the RPC are vividly exhibited in Art of 355 said law, wherein
the value of the fine is yet to be amended.

The present bill humbly suggests new amounts, subject to the committee's discretion, replacing
the old ones using a formula utilizing the available data from the National Statisties Coordination
Board relating to Consumer Price Index

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 CPI (Consumer Price Index) earlier than
1935 in the Philippines and no data available for the CPI from 1986 to 1988. Morvover, there
had been a total of 8 rebasing of base years for the computation of inflation rates (the purpose of
rebasing is to make relevant or update the items included in the basket of goods)

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 ean now compute the adjusted
values of fines alter factoring in the change in prices in the Philippines, more precisely the ellect
of inflation rate.

RESENTATIVES


‘The following amended version reflects the adjusted fine component for Art 355 rounded off to

the nearest thousand:

Art. 335. Libel means by writings or similar means. ~ A libel committed by means of
writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, theatrical
exhibition, cinematographic exhibition, or any similar means, shall be punished by prison
correccional in its minimum and medium periods or a fine ranging from 16,000 to
480,000 pesos, or both, in addition to the civil action which may be brought by the
offended party.”

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 eamestly sought.

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LORD ALLANJAY Q. VELASCO


Republic of the Philippines
House of the Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS:
First Regular Session

1283

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Congressman Lord Allan Jay Q. Velasco

DING ARTICLE 355 OF ACT NO. 3815, AS AMENDED,
& KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CO}

AN ACT AME!
OTHERWIS!

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

SECTION 1. Article 355 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known as the Revised Penal
Code, is hereby further amended to read as follo

Art. 335. Libel means by writings or similar means. ~ A libel committed by means of
writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, heal
exhibition, cinematographic exhibition, or any similar means, shall be punished by prison
correccional in its minimum and medium periods or a fine ranging from 16,000 1
480,000 pesos, or both, in addition to the civil action which may be brought by the
offended party.”

eal

executive order.

SECTION 2, Repealing Clause. ~ Any law, presidential decree or issuances
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.

iivity Claus This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days alter its publication
elie or at least two (2) newspaper of general circulation.

SECTION 3. Efe
in the Official Ga:

Approved,