Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bi No.__4943

Introduced by Representative Ferdinand L. Hernandez

AN ACT PENALIZING PRANK CALLERS TO EMERGENCY HOTLINES
EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Emergency 911 Hotline was established as the nationwide emergency hotline
number for police, medical, firefighting, and rescue assistance. In order to function efficiently
and responsively, it needs to be used only for its established purposes, unhampered by any
unnecessary activity. The hotline deals with life-and-death situations and there is no room for
playing around.

As such, this bill seeks to illegalize the act of making prank calls to the Emergency 911
Hotline. In the same way that bomb jokes are punishable by law for the unnecessary panic and
inefficiency that they cause, prank calls are also detrimental to our emergency services. Every
second is important in an emergency, and time cannot be wasted on prank calls.

Considering the rationale stated above, the approval of this Bill is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4043

Introduced by Representative Ferdinand L. Hernandez

AN ACT
PENALIZING PRANK CALLERS TO EMERGENCY HOTLINES

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 “Anti-Prank Callers Act of
2019."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote
the general welfare or the people. Towards this end, the State aims to prohibit malicious and
improper use of telecommunication devices.

Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:
a) Prank call refers to a mischievous or malicious telephone call made to trick or fool
someone with the intention to annoy, abuse, threaten, harass, or solicit any comment, request,
suggestion or sound which is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy or indecent, or a call intending to
make false requests or false alarm of an emergency, knowing the report or information or alarm
to be false;
b.) Emergency refers to a serious, unexpected and often dangerous situation requiring
immediate attention and action; and
c.) Hotline refers to a direct telecommunication set up for a specific purpose.

Sec. 4. Prohibition. — Emergency hotlines established for the purpose of responding to
emergency situations shall, at all times, be free from receiving unnecessary calls. It shall be
prohibited for any individual to make prank calls to any hotline at any time.

Sec. 5. Penalties. - Any person who violates this Act shall be penalized with:

a.) _Arresto menor and a fine of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) for the first offense;

b.) _Arresto mayor and a fine of Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) for the second offense:
and


©.) Prision correccional and a fine of Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) for the third and
succeeding offenses.

Provided, That the foregoing penalties shall be imposed without prejudice to other liabilities
under the Revised Penal Code or any special law arising out of the prohibited act herein.

Sec. 6. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is subsequently declared
unconstitutional, the validity of the remaining provisions hereof shall remain in full force and
effect.

Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. — All acts and decrees, executive orders, implementing rules
and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

Sec. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen days (15) after its complete
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,