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

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4003

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE SALVIO B. FORTUNO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

The recent spate of carnappings that hugged banner headlines in national dailies the past
few days had brought to the fore the issue as to whether or not the present aw on the matter
remains applicable at this time to deter the commission of such crime. The grisly manner in
which the crimes were committed in succession had caused tremendous pressure to the
authorities, excruciating pains to the victim’s families and fear and outrage to the people,
particularly those in the car dealership industry. Even the restoration of death penalty has again
resurfaced to the national consciousness as one of possible deterrents as it would strike fear to the
hearts of the criminals. But this ticklish issue has again resurrected those pro-life and pro-death
penalty advocates fueling heated debates that may cause divisiveness among our people.

Republic Act No. 6539 otherwise known as the “Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972” was
enacted primarily to arrest the growing number of cases committed at that time. The law impos
a penalty of imprisonment of fourteen (14) years to seventeen (17) years when camapping is
committed without violence or intimidation of persons, or force upon things, not less than
seventeen (17) years to not more than thirty (30) years when the crime is committed by means of
violence against or intimidation of persons, or force upon things, and reclusion perpetua to death
when the owner, driver or occupant of the carnapped motor vehicle is killed o raped in the course
of the commission of such crime or on occasion thereof.

Based on the gravity of the penalty imposed under the aforementioned law, the
commission of eamapping has already been considered as heinous crime more than four decades
ago. However, camnapping cases remain unabated. In fact, record reveals that a combined 1,739
motor vehicles and motoreyeles were reported stolen in 2010.

This bill therefore seeks to make the crime of camapping as a non-bailable offense. The
paramount objective of this bill is to deter further commission of such crime because the suspect
cannot be able to continue his nefarious activities while languishing in jail. It must be noted that
one of the suspects in the gruesome killing of car dealer Venson Evangelista and possibly
Lozano, has fifteen (15) car theft cases pending in various courts. Yet, he remains scot-free.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is eamestly

Fifth Dfstrict, Camarines Sur


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

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo.__ 4003

Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE SALVIO B. FORTUNO

AN ACT
MAKING THE CRIME OF CARNAPPING, UNDER CERTAIN
CIRCUMSTANCE, A NON-BAILABLE OFFENSE, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6539 AS AMENDED OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
THE “ANTI-CARNAPPING ACT OF 1972”

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

. SECTI
known as the “Anti:

N 1. Section 14 of Republic Act No. 6539 as amended otherwise
‘arnapping Act of 1972” is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 14. Penalty for Carnapping. ~ xxx XXX xxx

THE PROVISION OF THE LAW TO THE CONTRARY
NOTWITHSTANDING, NO BAIL SHALL BE RECOMMENDED
WHEN THE CARNAPPING IS COMMITTED BY MEANS OF
VIOLENCE OR INTIMIDATION OF ANY PERSON, OR FORCE
UPON THINGS, OR WHEN THE OWNER, DRIVER OR
OCCUPANT OF THE CARNAPPED MOTOR VEHICLE IS KILLED
OR RAPED IN THE COURSE OF THE COMMISSION OF THE
CARNAPPING OR ON THE OCCASION THEREOF.”

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in at least
two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,