Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILL No.3230

Introduced by Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

First off, let it be laid that it is the declared policy of the State to “maintain honesty
and integrity in the public service and to take positive and effective measures against
graft and corruption.”

‘Secondly, the act of plagiarism has cast its binding shadows not just in the academe
but even in high places. More contemporary examples to illustrate this view are the
alleged “copying’ of brand by a line department and the show-cause order against
the UP College of Law faculty.

Thirdly, never before has the act of plagiarism been meted out as a criminal act but
merely confronted as a moral infringement and therefore allotted with disciplinary
action.

|, the author, view that we can now propose to criminalize plagiarism and provide
penalties therefor precisely to strengthen that State policy of promoting honesty and
integrity in the public service.

The urgent passage of this legislative measure is mast-earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No3530

Introduced by Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo

AN ACT
CRIMINALIZING PLAGIARISM, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as “The Anti-Plagiarism Law of
the Philippines.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. — It is the declared policy of the State to maintain
honesty and integrity in the public service and to take positive and effective measures
against graft and corruption.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — Plagiarism shall be defined as the unauthorized use or
close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of
them as one's own original work.

SEC. 4. Plagiarism as a Crime. — Under this Act, plagiarism ceases to be categorized
as a mere copyright infringement and becomes a reprehensible act, the commission of
which whether intentional or unintentional, shall be punishable.

Plagiarism is committed under any of the following conditions:

passing off of the work of another as one’s own
Use of copied materials without attribution to the author
unfair use of copyrighted material

transgression of the moral rights of copyright holders
use of someone else's work without prior authorization

@aONa

SEC. 5. Application of Penalties.

a) If committed by a public official or employee, dismissal from the service and
imprisonment for @ period to be determined by a competent court

b) If committed by a government lawyer, disbarment and that of prision mayor

¢) Ifcommitted by a justice, disbarment and that of reclusion perpetua

) If committed by a student, a private individual or private employee, dismissal from
the school, organization or firm, respectively and imprisonment for a period to be
determined by a competent court


SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. — All other general and special laws, acts, decrees,
executive orders, proclamations, administrative rules and regulations, or part thereof,
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,