Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
17" Congress
First Regular Session

nose Bi No.4882

Introduced by: HON. JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO_

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

Presidential Decree No. 1727, known as the Anti-Bomb Joke Law, declares as unlawful
the malicious dissemination of false information concerning threats of bombs, explosives, or any
similar devices and imposes the penalties for it

This law was passed in the wake of bombing and terrorist attacks including those by
pranksters conveying false information about the presence of bombs for the purpose of causing, or
creating public confusion and disorder.

In August 2015, a Saudi-bound Filipina who cracked a bomb joke at the Ninoy Aquino
Intemational Airport was arrested and detained. She was not allowed to board her flight and was
charged with the offense which is punishable by a 5-year jail term, a fine, or both

Recently, a bomb scare that triggered by the discovery of an unattended package inside a
bus caused a major traffic jam along Cubao EDSA. The bus driver parked the vehicle in the
middle of the road and reported the incident to the police and called on the bomb squad which
cordoned off the scene and stopped traffic.

To strongly discourage people from making such threats, imposition of stronger on ies
must be meted out to violators of the law. P.D. 1727, is already viewed as outdated because it has
been passed back in 1980 during the term of President Ferdinand Marcos. It only provides a
penalty of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, or a fine of not more than forty thousand
pesos (P40,000.00). In this day and age, these penalties are tantamount to a mere slap on the
wrist, which cannot effectively deter the commission of said crimes.

To address the outdatedness and vagueness of this presidential decree, this bill imposes
stiffer penalties to initiators and disseminators of false threats, Violation of this Act shall be
subject to imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than one (1) year or a fine of
not less than Six Hundred Thousand Pesos (P600,000.00) but not more than One Million Pesos
(P1,000,000.00).

With these changes in the existing law, incidences of false reports which highly
inconvenience the public and cause hugeeconomic losses especially to business operations are
expected to be curtailed.

In view of the foregojnG. approval of this bill is highly recommended

JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

17” Congress
First Regular Session

4882

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: HON. JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO-

AN ACT PROHIBITING THE MALICIOUS DISSEMINATION OF FALSE
INFORMATION OR 1 i} L MAKING OF ANY THREAT CONCERNING
BOMBS, EXPLOSIVES OR ANY SIMILAR DEVICE OR MEANS OF
DESTRUCTION AND IMPOSING PENALTIES THEREFOR

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-Bomb and Explosives
Scare Act of 2016”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. The state shall ensure the protection of public
from the unnecessary yet damaging effects to life and property of malicious and willful
dissemination of false information on the presence or threats of bombs, explosives, or any
life-threatening and destructive materials.

SECTION 3. Prohibited Act. No person or entity shall willfully make any threat or
maliciously disseminate, by word of mouth or in written, printed, or video form, through the
use of telephones, cellular phones, fax machines, and electronic communications, such as but
not limited to electronic mails and social media or other means, false information, knowing
the same to be false, concerning an attempt or alleged attempt being made to kills, injure, or
imimidate any individual or unlawfully damage or destroy any building vehicles, or other real
or personal property, by means of bombs, explosives, incendiary devices, and other
destructive forces of similar nature or characteristics.

SECTION 4. Penalties. Violation of this Act shall be subject to imprisonment of not
less than six (6) months but not more than one (1) year or a fine of not less than Six Hundred
Thousand Pesos (P600,000.00) but not more than One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00).

Any person found to have maliciously and willfully accused another person or entity of
violating this Act, knowing that the said charges are false and groundless after verification,
shall be subject to imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than one (1)
year or a fine of not less than Three Hundred Thousand Pesos (P300,000) but not more than
One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00)



SECTION 5. Repealing Cause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations,
rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are herby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 6. Separabitity Clause. If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected hereby shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 7. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.