THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
EXPLANATORYNOTE 
The Act will integrate into our system a more compassionate type of 
sentencing which is which requires community service in lieu of serving a jail 
term for certain minor offenses. The penalty of awesto menor, pursuant to 
Article 27 of the Revised Penal Code, shall be from one (1) day to (30) thirty 
days only. Article 88 of the same Code provides that the penalty of awesto 
menor shall be served in the municipal jail or in the house of the defendant 
under the surveillance of an officer of the law. 
By requiring an offender to render community service, he will learn the 
lesson of civic service rather than being confined in the penal institution or 
remaining in his own house. 
Some of the crimes for which awesto menor is imposed in the Revised 
Penal Code are: vagrancy, alarms and scandals, slight physical injuries, certain 
deceits, malicious mischief where the value does not exceed P20Q.00, or 
imprudence and negligence constituting a light felony. 
Immediate passage of this measure will decongest local jails and will 
protect those who commit light felonies from being brutalized in crowded 
prisons. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
n 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COURT TO REQUIRE COMMUNITY SERVICE IN LIEU 
OF IMPRISONMENT IN A JAIL FOR THE PENALTY OF ARRESTO MENOR, 
AMENDING FOR THAT OURPOSE ARTICLE 88 OF ACT NO. 3815, OTHERWISE 
KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
(‘ART. 88. Arrest0 Menor. 
The penalty of awesto menor shall be 
served on the municipal OR CITY jail or in the house of the defendant 
himself under the surveilance of an officer of the law, when the court so 
provides in its decision, taking into consideration which may seem 
satisfactory to it. 
“THE COURT MAY, MOTU PROPIO, REQUIRE THAT THE PENALTY 
OF ARRESTO MENOR BE SERVED BY 
THE DEFENDANT 
BY 
RENDERING COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY WHERE THE 
CRIME WAS COMMITTED OR IN HIS OWN OR ON ANY OTHER 
COMMUNITY AS MAY AND UNDER SUCH TERMS AS THE COURT 
SHALL DETERMINE AND UNDER THE SURVEILLANCE OF THE 
BARANGAY CAPTAIN OF THE COMMUNITY AND A PROBATION 
OFFICER, IN LIEU OF SERVICE IN JAIL. 
IN SO REQUIRING 
COMMUNITY 
SERVICE, 
THE 
COURT 
SHALL 
CONSIDER 
THE 
REASONABLE PROBABILITY THAT THE PERSON SENTENCED SHALL 
REMAIN AT LIBERTY WITHOUT VIOLATING THE LAW AND THE 
WELFARE OF SOCIETY. 
“COMMUNITY SERVICE SHALL CONSIST OF ANY ACTUAL 
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WHICH INCULCATES CIVIC CONSIOUSNESS 
TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT OF A PUBLIC WORK, OR IN ANY 
ENVIRONMENT INVOLVING PUBLIC STRUCTURES. 


2 
“SHOULD THE PERSON SENTENCED VIOLATE THE TERMSFOR 
RENDERING COMMUNITY SERVICEM, THE COURT SHALL ORDER HIS 
RE-ARREST AND THE PENALTY SHALL BE SERVED IN JAIL. SHOULD 
THE 
PERSON 
SENTENCED 
COMPLY 
WITH 
THE TERMS FOR 
RENDERING COMMUNITY SERVICE, THE COURT SHALL DISCHARGE 
THE PERSON AFTER COMPLETION OF SERVICE. THE PRIVELEGE OF 
RENDERING COMMUNITY SERVICE IN LIEU OF SERVICE IN K\JAIL 
SAHLL BE ENJOYED ONLY ONCE ” 
SECTION 2. If any provision, or part hereof, is held invalid or unconstitutional, 
the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and 
subsisting . 
SECTION 3. All acts, laws, rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,