Republic of the Philippines RECE
House of Representatives are, DEC 4
Quezon Gity, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, _5821

INTRODUCED BY
REP. ALFRED D. VARGAS

AN ACT

AMENDING ARTICLES 171 AND 172 OF REPUBLIC ACT. 3815
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE, IMPOSING
STIFFER PENALTIES FOR FALSIFICATION OF CERTIFICATES OF
LAND TITLE OR ANY APPLICATION, DEED, INSTRUMENT OR
SUPPORTING DOCUMENT, REASONABLY CONNECTED WITH THE
TITLE, CLASSIFYING THE SAME AS A HEINOUS OFFENSE
INVOLVING ECONOMIC SABOTAGE IF THE VALUE OR AGGREGATE
VALUE OF THE LAND IS AT LEAST TEN MILLION PESOS (P
10,000,000.00)

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The importance of land titles cannot be overemphasized. It is the
evidence of the right of the owner to exclusive possession and enjoyment
of the property. It is the only legal document that proves a person’s
actual ownership over a piece of land.

Many land disputes in the Philippines have led to social unrest,
which sometimes bring about conflicts among our people. History has
been made witness to the land disputes between big landholders and
the poor, landless settlers, indigenous peoples, and other cultural
minorities. Additionally, fake land titles in the Philippines are fabricated
by syndicates to persuade buyers into acquiring supposedly cheap real
estate properties. If the offense continues, our country will be flooded
with fake and falsified land titles each inflicting harm on the integrity
of institutions, to the detriment of Filipino families and the country’s
economic stability.


Land titles are legal mechanisms set in place to protect and legalize
the claims of the rightful owners of pieces of land and hopefully assist
in the settlement of disputes. Falsifying these documents should merit
graver penalties.

This proposed legislative measure seeks to remedy and stop the
nefarious practice of anomalously titling land, amending for this
purpose the provisions of Article 171 and 172 of the Revised Penal Code,
by increasing its penalty, if the falsification involves a Certificate of Land
Title or any Land Patent Application, deed, instrument of documents in
support thereof, reasonably connected with and calculated to cause the
issuance of a Certificate of Land Title. In addition, the offense shall be
deemed a grave offense involving economic sabotage if the fair market
value of the land as shown by its Tax Declaration issued by the City of
Provincial Assessor or the Zonal Valuation as determined by the
Commissioner of Internal Revenue, whichever is higher or the aggregate
value thereof, where the falsification or series or combination of
falsifications involves more than one (1) Title is at least Ten Million
Pesos (P 10,000,000.00).

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

ALFRED VARGAS


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
@uezon City, Aleteo Main

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 9821

INTRODUCED BY
REP. ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
AMENDING ARTICLES 171 AND 172 OF REPUBLIC ACT. 3815
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE, IMPOSING
STIFFER PENALTIES FOR FALSIFICATION OF CERTIFICATES OF
LAND TITLE OR ANY APPLICATION, DEED, INSTRUMENT OR
SUPPORTING DOCUMENT, REASONABLY CONNECTED WITH THE
TITLE, CLASSIFYING THE SAME AS A HEINOUS OFFENSE
INVOLVING ECONOMIC SABOTAGE IF THE VALUE OR AGGREGATE
VALUE OF THE LAND IS AT LEAST TEN MILLION PESOS (P
10,000,000.00)

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

SECTION 1. Section 171 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known
as, the Revised Penal Code, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“article 171. Falsification by the public offer, employee or notary or
ecclesiastic minister. - The penalty of prision mayor and a fine not
exceed 5,000 pesos shall be imposed upon any public officer, employee,
or notary who, taking advantage of his official position, shall falsify a
document by committing any of the following act:

XXXXXX

THE PENALTY OF RECLUSION TEMPORAL AND A FINE OF P50,000
SHALL BE IMPOSED IF THE DOCUMENT FALSIFIED IS A DEED,
INSTRUMENT OR DOCUMENT IN SUPPORT THEREOF, REASONABLY
CONNECTED WITH AND CALCULATED TO CAUSE THE ISSUANCE OF


A CERTIFICATE OF LAND TITLE. PROVIDED THAT, THE PENALTY OF
RECLUSION PERPETUA SHALL BE IMPOSED IF THE FAIR MARKET
VALUE AS SHOWN BY ITS TAX DECLARATION ISSUED BY THE CITY
OR PROVINCIAL ASSESSOR OR ZONAL VALUATION AS DETERMINED
BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE, OR
AGGREGATE VALUE THEREOF, WHERE THE FALSIFICATION OR
COMBINATION THEREOF INVOLVES MORE THAN ONE

(1) TITLE IS AT LEAST TEN MILLION PESOS (P 10,000,000.00)

SECTION 2. Article 172 of Act No. 3815, as amended, otherwise known
as, the Revised Penal Code, is hereby amended to read as follows:

“article 172. Falsification by the private individuals and use of falsified
documents. - The penalty of prision correccional in its medium and
maximum periods and a fine of not more than five thousand pesos (P
5,000.00) shall be imposed upon:

(1) Any private individual who shall commit any of the falsification
enumerated in the next preceding article in any public or official
document or letter of exchange or any other kind of commercial
document;

PROVIDED, THAT THE PENALTY OF PRISION MAYOR AND A FINE OF
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P 25,000.00) SHALL BE IMPOSED
IF THE DOCUMENT FALSIFIED IS A CERTIFICATE OF LAND TITLE OR
ANY LAND PATENT APPLICATION, DEED, INSTRUMENT OR
DOCUMENT IN SUPPORT THEREOF, REASONABLY CONNECTED
WITH AND CALCULATED TO CAUSE THE ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE
OF LAND TITLE. PROVIDED THAT THE PENALTY OF RECLUSION
PERPETUA SHALL BE IMPOSED IF THE FAIR MARKET VALUE AS
SHOW BY ITS TAX DECLARATION ISSUED BY THE CITY OR
PROVINCIAL ASSESSOR, OR THE ZONAL VALUATION AS
DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF INTERNAL REVENUE, OR
AGGREGATE VALUE THEREOF, WHERE THE FALSIFICATION OR
SERIES OR COMBINATION THEREOF INVOLVES MORE THAN ONE (1)
TITLE IS AT LEAST TEN MILLION PESOS (P 10,000,000.00).

CERTIFICATE OF LAND TITLE FOR PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE AND
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING ARTICLE REFERS TO EVIDENCE OF
OWNERSHIP ISSUED PURSUANT TO THE ORDER OF THE COURT
OVER REGISTERED LAND OR THE MUNIMENT OF TITLE ISSUED BY
A GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY FOR THE CONVEYANCE
OF SOME PORTION OF PUBLIC DOMAIN. IT INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT
LIMITED TO ORIGINAL CERTIFICATES OF TITLE (OCT),


‘TRANSFER CERTIFICATES OF TITLE (TCT), CERTIFICATION OF LAND
OWNERSHIP AWARDS (CLOA), LAND PATENT, SALES PATENTS,
HOMESTEAD PATENTS, AND FREE PATENTS

(1) XXXX,

SECTION 3. Separability Clause- If any provision of this Act shall be
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining part or provisions
not otherwise affected shall remain in force

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause- Any law, decree, ordinance,
administrative circulars not consistent with any provision of this Act is
hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly

SECTION 5. Effectivity Clause- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least
two (2) newspaper of general circulation

Approved,