REPUBLIC ACT N0.

9745 AN ACT PENALIZING TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT AND PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: Section 1. Short Title. - This Ad shall be known as the "Anti-Torture Act of 2009". Section 2. Statement of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State: (a) To value the dignity of every human person and guarantee full respect for human rights; (b) To ensure that the human rights of all persons, including suspects, detainees and prisoners are respected at all times; and that no person placed under investigation or held in custody of any person in authority or, agent of a person authority shall be subjected to physical, psychological or mental harm, force, violence, threat or intimidation or any act that impairs his/her free wi11 or in any manner demeans or degrades human dignity; (c) To ensure that secret detention places, solitary, incommunicado or other similar forms of detention, where torture may be carried out with impunity, are prohibited; and (d) To fully adhere to the principles and standards on the absolute condemnation and prohibition of torture as provided for in the 1987 Philippine Constitution; various international instruments to which the Philippines is a State party such as, but not limited to, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDA W) and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT); and all other relevant international human rights instruments to which the Philippines is a signatory. Section 3. Definitions. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall mean: (a) "Torture" refers to an act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him/her or a third person information or a confession; punishing him/her for an act he/she or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed; or intimidating or coercing him/her or a third person; or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a person in authority or agent of a person in authority. It does not include pain or Buffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions. (b) "Other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment" refers to a deliberate and aggravated treatment or punishment not enumerated under Section 4 of this Act, inflicted by a person in authority or agent of a person in authority against a person under his/her custody, which attains a level of severity causing suffering, gross humiliation or debasement to the latter. (c) "Victim" refers to the person subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment as defined above and any individual who has suffered harm as a result of any act(s) of torture, or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. (d) "Order of Battle" refers to any document or determination made by the military, police or any law enforcement agency of the government, listing the names of persons and organizations that it perceives to be enemies of the State and that it considers as legitimate targets as combatants that it could deal with, through the use of means allowed by domestic and international law. Section 4. Acts of Torture. - For purposes of this Act, torture shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (a) Physical torture is a form of treatment or punishment inflicted by a person in authority or agent of a person in authority upon another in his/her custody that causes severe pain, exhaustion, disability or dysfunction of one or more parts of the body, such as: (1) Systematic beating, headbanging, punching, kicking, striking with truncheon or rifle butt or other similar objects, and jumping on the stomach;

(2) Food deprivation or forcible feeding with spoiled food, animal or human excreta and other stuff or substances not normally eaten; (3) Electric shock; (4) Cigarette burning; burning by electrically heated rods, hot oil, acid; by the rubbing of pepper or other chemical substances on mucous membranes, or acids or spices directly on the wound(s); (5) The submersion of the head in water or water polluted with excrement, urine, vomit and/or blood until the brink of suffocation; (6) Being tied or forced to assume fixed and stressful bodily position; (7) Rape and sexual abuse, including the insertion of foreign objects into the sex organ or rectum, or electrical torture of the genitals; (8) Mutilation or amputation of the essential parts of the body such as the genitalia, ear, tongue, etc.; (9) Dental torture or the forced extraction of the teeth; (10) Pulling out of fingernails; (11) Harmful exposure to the elements such as sunlight and extreme cold; (12) The use of plastic bag and other materials placed over the head to the point of asphyxiation; (13) The use of psychoactive drugs to change the perception, memory. alertness or will of a person, such as: (i) The administration or drugs to induce confession and/or reduce mental competency; or (ii) The use of drugs to induce extreme pain or certain symptoms of a disease; and (14) Other analogous acts of physical torture; and (b) "Mental/Psychological Torture" refers to acts committed by a person in authority or agent of a person in authority which are calculated to affect or confuse the mind and/or undermine a person's dignity and morale, such as: (1) Blindfolding; (2) Threatening a person(s) or his/fher relative(s) with bodily harm, execution or other wrongful acts; (3) Confinement in solitary cells or secret detention places; (4) Prolonged interrogation; (5) Preparing a prisoner for a "show trial", public display or public humiliation of a detainee or prisoner; (6) Causing unscheduled transfer of a person deprived of liberty from one place to another, creating the belief that he/she shall be summarily executed; (7) Maltreating a member/s of a person's family; (8) Causing the torture sessions to be witnessed by the person's family, relatives or any third party; (9) Denial of sleep/rest; (10) Shame infliction such as stripping the person naked, parading him/her in public places, shaving the victim's head or putting marks on his/her body against his/her will; (11) Deliberately prohibiting the victim to communicate with any member of his/her family; and (12) Other analogous acts of mental/psychological torture. Section 5. Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment refers to a deliberate and aggravated treatment or punishment not enumerated under Section 4 of this Act, inflicted by a person in authority or agent of a person in authority against another person in custody, which attains a level of severity sufficient to cause suffering, gross humiliation or debasement to the latter. The assessment of the level of severity shall depend on all the circumstances of the case, including the duration of the treatment or

punishment, its physical and mental effects and, in some cases, the sex, religion, age and state of health of the victim. Section 6. Freedom from Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, An Absolute Bight. - Torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment as criminal acts shall apply to all circumstances. A state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability, or any other public emergency, or a document or any determination comprising an "order of battle" shall not and can never be invoked as a justification for torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. Section 7. Prohibited Detention. - Secret detention places, solitary confinement, incommunicado or other similar forms of detention, where torture may be carried out with impunity. Are hereby prohibited. In which case, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other law enforcement. agencies concerned shall make an updated list of all detention centers and facilities under their respective jurisdictions with the corresponding data on the prisoners or detainees incarcerated or detained therein such as, among others, names, date of arrest and incarceration, and the crime or offense committed. This list shall be made available to the public at all times, with a copy of the complete list available at the respective national headquarters of the PNP and AFP. A copy of the complete list shall likewise be submitted by the PNP, AFP and all other law enforcement agencies to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), such list to be periodically updated, by the same agencies, within the first five (5) days of every month at the minimum. Every regional office of the PNP, AFP and other law enforcement agencies shall also maintain a similar list far all detainees and detention facilities within their respective areas, and shall make the same available to the public at all times at their respective regional headquarters, and submit a copy. updated in the same manner provided above, to the respective regional offices of the CHR. Section 8. Applicability of the Exclusionary Rule; Exception. - Any confession, admission or statement obtained as a result of torture shall be inadmissible in evidence in any proceedings, except if the same is used as evidence against a person or persons accused of committing torture. Section 9. Institutional Protection of Torture Victims and Other Persons Involved. - A victim of torture shall have the following rights in the institution of a criminal complaint for torture: (a) To have a prompt and an impartial investigation by the CHR and by agencies of government concerned such as the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), the PNP, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the AFP. A prompt investigation shall mean a maximum period of sixty (60) working days from the time a complaint for torture is filed within which an investigation report and/or resolution shall be completed and made available. An appeal whenever available shall be resolved within the same period prescribed herein, (b) To have sufficient government protection against all forms of harassment; threat and/or intimidation as a consequence of the filing of said complaint or the presentation of evidence therefor. In which case, the State through its appropriate agencies shall afford security in order to ensure his/her safety and all other persons involved in the investigation and prosecution such as, but not limited to, his/her lawyer, witnesses and relatives; and (c) To be accorded sufficient protection in the manner by which he/she testifies and presents evidence in any fora in order to avoid further trauma. Section 10. Disposition of Writs of Habeas Corpus, Amparo and Habeas Data Proceedings and Compliance with a Judicial 07'der. - A writ of habeas corpus or writ of amparo or writ of habeas data proceeding, if any, filed on behalf of the victim of torture or other cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment or punishment shall be disposed of expeditiously and any order of release by virtue thereof, or other appropriate order of a court relative thereto, shall be executed or complied with immediately. Section 11. Assistance in Filing a Complaint. - The CHR and the PAO shall render legal assistance in the investigation and monitoring and/or filing of the complaint for a person who suffers torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, or for any interested party thereto. The victim or interested party may also seek legal assistance from the Barangay Human Rights Action Center (BRRAC) nearest him/her as well as from human rights nongovernment organizations (NGOs). Section 12. Right to' Physical, Medical and Psychological Examination. Before and after interrogation, every person arrested, detained or under custodial investigation shall have the right to he informed of his/her right to demand physical examination by an independent and competent doctor of his/her own choice. If such person cannot afford the services of his/her own doctor, he/she shall he provided by the State with a competent and

independent doctor to conduct physical examination. The State shall endeavor to provide the victim with psychological evaluation if available under the circumstances. If the person arrested is a female, she shall be attended to preferably by a female doctor. Furthermore, any person arrested, detained or under custodial investigation, including his/her immediate family, shall have the right to immediate access to proper and adequate medical treatment. The physical examination and/or psychological evaluation of the victim shall be contained in a medical report, duly signed by the attending physician, which shall include in detail his/her medical history and findings, and which shall he attached to the custodial investigation report. Such report shall be considered a public document. Following applicable protocol agreed upon by agencies tasked to conduct physical, psychological and mental examinations, the medical reports shall, among others, include: (a) The name, age and address of the patient or victim; (b) The name and address of the nearest kin of the patient or victim; (c) The name and address of the person who brought the patient or victim for physical, psychological and mental examination, and/or medical treatment; (d) The nature and probable cause of the patient or victim's injury, pain and disease and/or trauma; (e) The approximate time and date when the injury, pain, disease and/or trauma was/were sustained; (f) The place where the injury, pain, disease and/or trauma was/were sustained; (g) The time, date and nature of treatment necessary; and (h) The diagnosis, the prognosis and/or disposition of the patient. Any person who does not wish to avail of the rights under this pr<;lvision may knowingly and voluntarily waive such rights in writing, executed in the presence and assistance of his/her counsel. Section 13. Who are Criminally Liable. - Any person who actually participated Or induced another in the commission of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment or who cooperated in the execution of the act of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment by previous or simultaneous acts shall be liable as principal Any superior military, police or law enforcement officer or senior government official who issued an order to any lower ranking personnel to commit torture for whatever purpose shall be held equally liable as principals. The immediate commanding officer of the unit concerned of the AFP or the immediate senior public official of the PNP and other law enforcement agencies shall be held liable as a principal to the crime of torture or other cruel or inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment for any act or omission, or negligence committed by him/her that shall have led, assisted, abetted or allowed, whether directly or indirectly, the commission thereof by his/her subordinates. If he/she has knowledge of or, owing to the circumstances at the time, should have known that acts of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment shall be committed, is being committed, or has been committed by his/her subordinates or by others within his/her area of responsibility and, despite such knowledge, did not take preventive or corrective action either before, during or immediately after its commission, when he/she has the authority to prevent or investigate allegations of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment but failed to prevent or investigate allegations of such act, whether deliberately or due to negligence shall also be liable as principals. Any public officer or employee shall be liable as an accessory if he/she has knowledge that torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment is being committed and without having participated therein, either as principal or accomplice, takes part subsequent to its commission in any of the following manner: (a) By themselves profiting from or assisting the offender to profit from the effects of the act of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment; (b) By concealing the act of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and/or destroying the effects or instruments thereof in order to prevent its discovery; or(c) By harboring, concealing or assisting m the escape of the principal/s in the act of torture or other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment: Provided, That the accessory acts are done with the abuse of the official's public functions. Section 14. Penalties. - (a) The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be imposed upon the perpetrators of the following acts:

(1) Torture resulting in the death of any person; (2) Torture resulting in mutilation; (3) Torture with rape; (4) Torture with other forms of sexual abuse and, in consequence of torture, the victim shall have become insane, imbecile, impotent, blind or maimed for life; and (5) Torture committed against children. (b) The penalty of reclusion temporal shall be imposed on those who commit any act of mental/psychological torture resulting in insanity, complete or partial amnesia, fear of becoming insane or suicidal tendencies of the victim due to guilt, worthlessness or shame. (c) The penalty of prision correccional shall be imposed on those who commit any act of torture resulting in psychological, mental and emotional harm other than those described 1n paragraph (b) of this section. ' (d) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium and maximum periods shall be imposed if, in consequence of torture, the victim shall have lost the power of speech or the power to hear or to smell; or shall have lost an eye, a hand, a foot, an arm or a leg; or shall have lost the use of any such member; Or shall have become permanently incapacitated for labor. (e) The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum and medium periods shall be imposed if, in consequence of torture, the victim shall have become deformed or shall have lost any part of his/her body other than those aforecited, or shall have lost the use thereof, or shall have been ill or incapacitated for labor for a period of more than ninety (90) days. (f) The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period to prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed if, in consequence of torture, the victim shall have been ill or incapacitated for labor for mare than thirty (30) days but not more than ninety (90) days. (g) The penalty of prision correccional in its minimum and medium period shall be imposed if, in consequence of torture, the victim shall have been ill or incapacitated for labor for thirty (30) days or less. (h) The penalty of arresto mayor shall be imposed for acts constituting cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as defined in Section 5 of this Act. (i) The penalty of prision correccional shall be imposed upon those who establish, operate and maintain secret detention places and/or effect or cause to effect solitary confinement, incommunicado or other similar forms of prohibited detention as provided in Section 7 of this Act where torture may be carried out with impunity. (j) The penalty of arresto mayor shall be imposed upon the responsible officers or personnel of the AFP, the PNP and other law enforcement agencies for failure to perform his/her duty to maintain, submit or make available to the public an updated list of detention centers and facilities with the corresponding data on the prisoners or detainees incarcerated or detained therein, pursuant to Section 7 of this Act. Section 15. Torture as a Separate and Independent Crime. - Torture as a crime shall not absorb or shall not be absorbed by any other crime or felony committed as a consequence, or as a means in the conduct or commission thereof. In which case, torture shall be treated as a separate and independent criminal act whose penalties shall be imposable without prejudice to any other criminal liability provided for by domestic and international laws. Section 16. Exclusion from the Coverage of Special Amnesty Law. - In order not to depreciate the crime of torture, persons who have committed any act of torture shall not benefit from any special amnesty law or similar measures that will have the effect of exempting them from any criminal proceedings and sanctions. Section 17. Applicability of Refouler. - No person shall be expelled, returned or extradited to another State where there are substantial grounds to believe that such person shall be in danger of being subjected to torture. For the purposes of determining whether such grounds exist, the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Secretary of the DOJ, in coordination with the Chairperson of the CHR, shall take into account all relevant considerations including, where applicable and not limited to, the

existence in the requesting State of a consistent pattern of gross, flagrant or mass violations of human rights. Section 18. Compensation to Victims of Torture. - Any person who has suffered torture shall have the right to claim for compensation as provided for under Republic Act No. 7309: Provided, That in no case shall compensation be any lower than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00). Victims of torture shall also have the right to claim for compensation from such other financial relief programs that may be made available to him/her under existing law and rules and regulations. Section 19. Formulation of a Rehabilitation Program. - Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the DOJ and the Department of Health (DOH) and such other concerned government agencies, and human rights organizations shall formulate a comprehensive rehabilitation program for victims of torture and their families. The DSWD, the DOJ and thc DOH shall also call on human rights nongovernment organizations duly recognized by the government to actively participate in the formulation of such program that shall provide for the physical, mental, social, psychological healing and development of victims of torture and their families. Toward the attainment of restorative justice, a parallel rehabilitation program for persons who have committed torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment shall likewise be formulated by the same agencies. Section 20. Monitoring of Compliance with this Act. - An Oversight Committee is hereby created to periodically oversee the implementation of this Act. The Committee shall be headed by a Commissioner of the CRR, with the following as members: the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the respective Chairpersons of the House of Representatives' Committees on Justice and Human Rights, and the Minority Leaders of both houses or their respective representatives in the minority. Section 21. Education and Information Campaign. - The CHR, the DOJ, the Department of National Defense (DND), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and such other concerned parties in both the public and private sectors shall ensure that education and information regarding prohibition against torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment shall be fully included in the training of law enforcement personnel, civil or military, medical personnel, public officials and other persons who may be involved in the custody, interrogation or treatment of any individual subjected to any form of arrest, detention or imprisonment. The Department of Education (DepED) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shall also ensure the integration of human rights education courses in all primary, secondary and tertiary level academic institutions nationwide. Section 22. Applicability of the Revised Penal Code. - The provisions of the Revised Penal Code insofar as they are applicable shall be suppletory to this Act. Moreover, if the commission of any crime punishable under Title Eight (Crimes Against Persons) and Title Nine (Crimes Against Personal Liberty and Security) of the Revised Penal Code is attended by any of the acts constituting torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment as defined herein, the penalty to be imposed shall be in its maximum period. Section 23. Appropriations. - The amount of Five million pesos (Php5,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to the CHR for the initial implementation of tills Act. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. Section 24. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DOJ and the CHR, with the active participation of human rights nongovernmental organizations, shall promulgate the rules and regulations for the effective implementation of tills Act. They shall also ensure the full dissemination of such rules and regulations to all officers and members of various law enforcement agencies. Section 25. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. Section 26. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders or rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. Section 27. Effectivity. - 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.

Republic Act No. 9775 AN ACT DEFINING THE CRIME OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009." Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, psychological and social well-being. Towards this end, the State shall: (a) Guarantee the fundamental rights of every child from all forms of neglect, cruelty and other conditions prejudicial to his/her development; (b) Protect every child from all forms of exploitation and abuse including, but not limited to: (1) the use of a child in pornographic performances and materials; and (2) the inducement or coercion of a child to engage or be involved in pornography through whatever means; and (c) Comply with international treaties to which the Philippines is a signatory or a State party concerning the rights of children which include, but not limited to, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No.182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor and the Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime. Section 3. Definition of Terms. (a) "Child" refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or over, but is unable to fully take care of himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition. For the purpose of this Act, a child shall also refer to: (1) a person regardless of age who is presented, depicted or portrayed as a child as defined herein; and (2) computer-generated, digitally or manually crafted images or graphics of a person who is represented or who is made to appear to be a child as defined herein. (b) "Child pornography" refers to any representation, whether visual, audio, or written combination thereof, by electronic, mechanical, digital, optical, magnetic or any other means, of child engaged or involved in real or simulated explicit sexual activities. (c) "Explicit Sexual Activity" includes actual or simulated (1) As to form: (i) sexual intercourse or lascivious act including, but not limited to, contact involving genital to genital, oral to genital, anal to genital, or oral to anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex; (2) bestiality; (3) masturbation; (4) sadistic or masochistic abuse; (5) lascivious exhibition of the genitals, buttocks, breasts, pubic area and/or anus; or (6) use of any object or instrument for lascivious acts (d) "Internet address" refers to a website, bulletin board service, internet chat room or news group, or any other internet or shared network protocol address. (e) "Internet cafe or kiosk" refers to an establishment that offers or proposes to offer services to the public for the use of its computer/s or computer system for the purpose of accessing the internet, computer games or related services. (f) "Internet content host" refers to a person who hosts or who proposes to host internet content in the Philippines.

(g) "Internet service provider (ISP)" refers to a person or entity that supplies or proposes to supply, an internet carriage service to the public. (h) "Grooming" refers to the act of preparing a child or someone who the offender believes to be a child for sexual activity or sexual relationship by communicating any form of child pornography. It includes online enticement or enticement through any other means. (i) "Luring" refers to the act of communicating, by means of a computer system, with a child or someone who the offender believes to be a child for the purpose of facilitating the commission of sexual activity or production of any form of child pornography.(2) Bestiality; (j) "Pandering" refers to the act of offering, advertising, promoting, representing or distributing through any means any material or purported material that is intended to cause another to believe that the material or purported material contains any form of child pornography, regardless of the actual content of the material or purported material. (k) "Person" refers to any natural or juridical entity. Section 4. Unlawful or Prohibited Acts. - It shall be unlawful for any person: (a) To hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in the creation or production of any form of child pornography; (b) To produce, direct, manufacture or create any form of child pornography; (c) To publish offer, transmit, sell, distribute, broadcast, advertise, promote, export or import any form of child pornography; (d) To possess any form of child pornography with the intent to sell, distribute, publish, or broadcast: Provided. That possession of three (3) or more articles of child pornography of the same form shall be prima facie evidence of the intent to sell, distribute, publish or broadcast; (e) To knowingly, willfully and intentionally provide a venue for the commission of prohibited acts as, but not limited to, dens, private rooms, cubicles, cinemas, houses or in establishments purporting to be a legitimate business; (f) For film distributors, theaters and telecommunication companies, by themselves or in cooperation with other entities, to distribute any form of child pornography; (g) For a parent, legal guardian or person having custody or control of a child to knowingly permit the child to engage, participate or assist in any form of child pornography; (h) To engage in the luring or grooming of a child; (i) To engage in pandering of any form of child pornography; (j) To willfully access any form of child pornography; (k) To conspire to commit any of the prohibited acts stated in this section. Conspiracy to commit any form of child pornography shall be committed when two (2) or more persons come to an agreement concerning the commission of any of the said prohibited acts and decide to commit it; and (l) To possess any form of child pornography. Section 5. Syndicated Child Pornography - The crime of child pornography is deemed committed by a syndicate if carried out by a group of three (3) or more persons conspiring or confederating with one another and shall be punished under Section 15(a) of this Act. Section 6. Who May File a Complaint. - Complaints on cases of any form of child pornography and other offenses punishable under this Act may be filed by the following: (a) Offended party; (b) Parents or guardians; (c) Ascendant or collateral relative within the third degree of consanguinity; (d) Officer, social worker or representative of a licensed childcaring institution; (e) Officer or social worker of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); (f) Local social welfare development officer;

(g) Barangay chairman; (h) Any law enforcement officer; (i) At least three (3) concerned responsible citizens residing in the place where the violation occurred; or (j) Any person who has personal knowledge of the circumstances of the commission of any offense under this Act. Section 7. Appointment of Special Prosecutors. - The Department of Justice (DOJ) shall appoint or designate special prosecutors to prosecute cases for the violation of this Act. Section 8. Jurisdiction. - Jurisdiction over cases for the violation of this Act shall be vested in the Family Court which has territorial jurisdiction over the place where the offense or any of its essential elements was committed pursuant to Republic Act No. 8369, otherwise known as "Family Courts Act of 1997". Section 9. Duties of an Internet Service Provider (ISP). - All internet service providers (ISPs) shall notify the Philippine National Police (PNP) or the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) within seven (7) days from obtaining facts and circumstances that any form of child pornography is being committed using its server or facility. Nothing in this section may be construed to require an ISP to engage in the monitoring of any user, subscriber or customer, or the content of any communication of any such person: Provided, That no ISP shall be held civilly liable for damages on account of any notice given in good faith in compliance with this section. Furthermore, an ISP shall preserve such evidence for purpose of investigation and prosecution by relevant authorities. An ISP shall, upon the request of proper authorities, furnish the particulars of users who gained or attempted to gain access to an internet address which contains any form of child pornography. All ISPs shall install available technology, program or software to ensure that access to or transmittal of any form of child pornography will be blocked or filtered. An ISP who shall knowingly, willfully and intentionally violate this provision shall be subject to the penalty provided under Section 15(k) of this Act. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) shall promulgate within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act the necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of this provision which shall include, among others, the installation of filtering software that will block access to or transmission of any form of the child pornography. Section 10. Responsibility of Mall Owners/Operators and Owners or Lessors of Other Business Establishments. - All mall owners/operators and owners or lessors of other business establishments shall notify the PNP or the NBI within seven (7) days from obtaining facts and circumstances that child pornography is being committed in their premises. Provided, That public display of any form of child pornography within their premises is a conclusive presumption of the knowledge of the mall owners/operators and owners or lessors of other business establishments of the violation of this Act: Provided, further, That a disputable presumption of knowledge by mall owners/operators and owners or lessors of other business establishments should know or reasonably know that a violation of this Act is being committed in their premises. Photo developers, information technology professionals, credit card companies and banks and any person who has direct knowledge of any form of child pornography activities shall have the duty to report any suspected child pornography materials or transactions to the proper authorities within seven (7) days from discovery thereof. Any willful and intentional violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalty provided under Section 15(l) of this Act. Section 11. Duties of an Internet Content Host. - An internet content host shall: (a) Not host any form of child pornography on its internet address; (b) Within seven (7) days, report the presence of any form of child pornography, as well as the particulars of the person maintaining, hosting, distributing or in any manner contributing to such internet address, to the proper authorities; and (c) Preserve such evidence for purposes of investigation and prosecution by relevant authorities. An internet content host shall, upon the request of proper authorities, furnish the particulars of users who gained or attempted to gain access to an internet address that contains any form of child pornography. An internet content host who shall knowingly, willfully and intentionally violate this provision shall be subject to the penalty provided under Section 15(j) of this Act: Provided, That the failure of the internet content host to remove any

form of child pornography within forty-eight (48) hours from receiving the notice that any form of child pornography is hitting its server shall be conclusive evidence of willful and intentional violation thereof. Section 12. Authority to Regulate Internet Caf or Kiosk. - The local government unit (LGU) of the city or municipality where an internet caf or kiosk is located shall have the authority to monitor and regulate the establishment and operation of the same or similar establishments in order to prevent violation of the provisions of this Act. Section 13. Confidentiality. - The right to privacy of the child shall be ensured at any stage of the investigation, prosecution and trial of an offense under this Act. Towards this end, the following rules shall be observed: (a) The judge, prosecutor or any officer of the law to whom the complaint has been referred to may, whenever necessary to ensure a fair and impartial proceeding and after considering all circumstances for the best interest of the child conduct a closeddoor investigation, prosecution or trial; (b) The name and personal circumstances of the child, including the child's immediate family, or any other information tending to establish his/her identity shall not be disclosed to the public; (c) Any record regarding a child shall be confidential and kept under seal. Except upon written request and order of the court, a record shall be released only to the following: (1) Members of the court staff for administrative use; (2) The prosecuting attorney; (3) Defense counsel; (4) The guardian ad litem; (5) Agents of investigating law enforcement agencies and (6) Other persons as determined by the court. (d) Any form of child pornography that is part of the court records shall be subject to a protective order that provides as follows: (1) Any form of child pornography may be viewed only by the parties, their counsel, their expert witness and guardian ad litem; (2) Neither form of child pornography nor any portion thereof shall be divulged to any other person, except as necessary for investigation, prosecution or trial; and (3) No person shall be granted access to any form of child pornography or any part thereof unless he/she signs a written affirmation that he/she has received and read a copy of the protection order; that he/she submits to the jurisdiction of the court with respect to the protective order; and that, in case of violation thereof, he/she will be subject to the contempt power of the court; and (e) In cases when prosecution or trial is conducted behind closed doors, it shall be unlawful for any editor, publisher and reporter or columnist in case of printed materials, announcer or producer in case of television and radio, producer and director of a film in case of the movie industry, or any person utilizing the tri-media facilities or information technology to publish or broadcast the names of the victims of any case of child pornography. Any violation of this provision shall be subject to the penalty provided for under Section 15(m) of this Act. Section 14. Care, Custody and Treatment of a Child Victim. - The DSWD shall ensure that the child who is a victim of any form of child pornography is provided appropriate care, custody and support for their recovery and reintegration in accordance with existing laws. The child and his family shall be entitled to protection as well as to the rights and benefits of witnesses under Republic Act No. 6981, otherwise known as "The Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act". The child shall also be considered as a victim of a violent crime defined under Section 3(d) of Republic Act No. 7309, otherwise known as "An Act Creating a Board of Claims under the Department of Justice for Victims of Unjust Imprisonment or Detention and Victims of Violent Crimes and for Other Purposes", so that the child may claim compensation therein. Section 15. Penalties and Sanctions. - The following penalties and sanctions are hereby established for offenses enumerated in this Act: (a) Any person found guilty of syndicated child pornography as defined in Section 5 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion

perpetua and a fine of not less than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) but not more than Five million pesos (Php5,000,000.00); (b) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(a), (b) and (c) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its maximum period and a fine of not less than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million (Php2,000,000.00); (c) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(d), (e) and (f) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its medium period and a fine of not less than Seven hundred fifty thousand pesos (Php750,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00); (d) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(g) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of reclusion temporal in its minimum period and a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) but not more than Seven hundred thousand pesos (Php700,000.00); (e) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(h) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period and a fine of not less than Three hundred thousand pesos (Php300,000.00) but not more than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00); (f) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(I) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period and a fine of not less than Three hundred thousand pesos (php300,000.00) but not more than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00); (g) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(j) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine of not less than Two hundred thousand pesos (Php200,000.00) but not more than Three hundred thousand pesos (Php300,000.00); (h) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(k) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in its medium period and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (php100,000.00) but not more than Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (php250,000.00); (i) Any person found guilty of violating Section 4(l) of this Act shall suffer the penalty of arresto mayor in its minimum period and a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (Php50,000.00) but not more than One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00); (j) Any person found guilty of violating Section 11 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in its medium period and a fine of not less than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) for the first offense. In the case of a subsequent offense, the penalty shall be a fine not less than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) but not more than Three million pesos (Php3,000,000.00) and revocation of its license to operate and immediate closure of the establishment; (k) Any ISP found guilty of willfully and knowingly failing to comply with the notice and installation requirements under Section 9 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) for the first offense. In case of subsequent offense, the penalty shall be a fine of not less than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) and revocation of its license to operate; (l) Any mall owner-operator and owner or lessor of other business establishments including photo developers, information technology professionals, credit card companies and banks, found guilty of willfully and knowingly failing to comply with the notice requirements under Section 10 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of a fine of not less than One million pesos (Php1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) for the first offense. In the case of a subsequent offense, the penalty shall be a fine of not less than Two million pesos (Php2,000,000.00) but not more than Three million pesos (Php3,000,000.00) and revocation of its license to operate and immediate closure of the establishment; and (m) Any person found guilty of violating Section 13 of this Act shall suffer the penalty of arresto mayor in its minimum period and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos

(Php100,000.00) but not more than Three hundred thousand pesos (Php300,000.00). Section 16. Common Penal Provisions. (a) If the offender is a parent, ascendant, guardian, step-parent or collateral relative within the third degree of consanguinity or affinity or any person having control or moral ascendancy over the child, the penalty provided herein shall be in its maximum duration; Provided, That this provision shall not apply to Section 4(g) of this Act; (b) If the offender is a juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the owner, manager, partner, member of the board of directors and/or any responsible officer who participated in the commission of the crime or shall have knowingly permitted or failed to prevent its commissions; (c) If the offender is a foreigner, he/she shall be immediately deported after the complete service of his/her sentence and shall forever be barred from entering the country; and (d) The penalty provided for in this Act shall be imposed in its maximum duration if the offender is a public officer or employee. Section 17. Confiscation and Forfeiture of the Proceeds, Tools and Instruments Used in Child Pornography. - In addition to the penalty imposed for the violation of this Act, the court shall order the confiscation and forfeiture in favor of the government of all the proceeds, tools and instruments used in the commission of the crime, unless they are the property of a third person not liable for the unlawful act; Provided, however, That all awards for damages shall be taken from the personal and separate properties of the offender; Provided, further, That if such properties are insufficient, the deficiency shall be taken from the confiscated and forfeited proceeds, tools and instruments. All proceeds derived from the sale of properties used for the commission of any form of child pornography shall accrue to the special account of the DSWD which shall be used exclusively for the implementation of this Act. When the proceeds, tools and instruments used in the commission of the offense have been destroyed diminished in value or otherwise rendered worthless by any act or omission, directly or indirectly, of the offender, or it has been concealed, removed, converted or transferred to prevent the same from being found or to avoid forfeiture or confiscation, the offender shall be ordered to pay the amount equal to the value of the proceeds, tools and instruments used in the commission of the offense.1avvphi1 Section 18. Mandatory Services to Victims of Child Pornography. - To ensure recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into the mainstream of society concerned government agencies and the LGUs shall make available the following services to victims of any form of child pornography: (a) Emergency shelter or appropriate housing; (b) Counseling; (c) Free legal services, which shall include information about the victim's rights and the procedure for filing of complaints, claims for compensation and such other legal remedies available to them in a language understood by the child; (d) Medical or psychological services; (e) Livelihood and skills training; and (f) Educational assistance. Sustained supervision and follow through mechanism that will track the progress of recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration of the child victims shall adopted and carried out. Section 19. Programs for Victims of Child Pornography. The Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography created under Section 20 of this Act shall develop and implement the necessary programs that will prevent any form of child pornography, as well as protect, heal and reintegrate the child into the mainstream of society. Such programs shall include beat but not limited to the following: (a) Provision of mandatory services including counseling free legal services, medical or psychological services, livelihood and skills training and educational assistance to the child pursuant to Section 18 of this Act; (b) Sponsorship of a national research program on any form of child pornography and other acts covered by the law and the establishment of a data collection system for monitoring and evaluation purposes; (c) Provision of necessary technical and material support services to appropriate government agencies and nongovernmental organizations:

(d) Sponsorship of conferences and seminars to provide venue for consensus building amongst the public, the academe , government, nongovernmental and international organizations and (e) Promotion of information and education campaign. Section 20. Inter - Agency Council against Child Pornography. - There is hereby established an Inter-Agency Council against Child Pornography to be composed of the Secretary of the DSWD as chairperson and the following as members: (a) Secretary of the Department of Justice: (b) Secretary of the Department of Labor and Employment (c) Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (d) Chief of the Philippine National Police; (e) Chairperson of the Commission on Information and Communications Technology; (g) Commissioner Commission; of the National Telecommunications

(l) Recommend measures to enhance cooperative efforts and mutual assistance among foreign countries through bilateral and/or multilateral arrangements to prevent and suppress any form of child pornography; (m) Adopt measures and policies to protect the rights and needs of the victims of child pornography who are foreign nationals in the Philippines; (n) maintain a database of cases of child pornography; (o) Initiate training programs in identifying and providing the necessary intervention or assistance to victims of child pornography. (p) Submit to the President and the Congressional Oversight committee credited herein the annual report on the policies, plans, programs and activities of the Council relative to the implementation of this Act; and (q) Exercise all the powers and perform such other functions necessary to attain the purposes and objectives of this Act. Section 22. Child Pornography as a Transnational Crime. - Pursuant to the Convention on transnational Organized Crime, the DOJ may execute the request of a foreign state for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of any form of child pornography by: (1) conducting a preliminary investigation against the offender and, if appropriate, to file the necessary charges in court; (2) giving information needed by the foreign state; and (3) to apply for an order of forfeiture of any proceeds or monetary instrument or properly located in the Philippines used in connection with child pornography in the court; Provided, That if the DOJ refuses to act on the request of for delaying the execution thereof: Provided, further, That the principles of mutuality and reciprocity shall, for this purpose, be at all times recognized. Section 23. Extradition. - The DOJ, in consultation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), shall endeavor to include child pornography among extraditable offenses in future treaties. Section 24. Congressional Oversight Committee. -There is hereby created a Congressional Oversight Committee composed of five (5) members from the Senate and five (5) members from the House of Representatives. The members from the Senate shall be appointed by the Senate President based on proportional representation of the parties or coalition therein with at least one (1) member representing the Minority. The members from the House of Representative shall be appointed by the Speaker, also based on proportional representation of the parties or coalitions therein with the Chair of the House of Committee on Welfare of Children and at least one (1) member representing the Minority The Committee shall be headed by the respective Chairs of the Senate Committee on Youth, Women and Family relations and the House of Representatives Committee on Justice. The Secretariat of the Congressional Oversight Committee shall come from the existing Secretariat personnel of the Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives concerned. The Committee shall monitor and ensure the effective implementation of this Act, determine inherent weakness and loopholes in the law. Recommend the necessary remedial legislator or administrative measures and perform such other duties and functions as may be necessary to attain the objectives of this Act. Section 25. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to implement the provisions of the Anti-Child Pornography Act and the operationalization of the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. Section 26. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Inter- Agency Council Against Child pornography shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of this Act. Section 27. Suppletory Application of the Revised Penal Code. - The Revised penal Code shall be suppletorily applicable to this Act. Section 28. Separability Clause. - If any part of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. Section 29. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, administrative orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly. Section 30. Effectivity. - This Act shall effect after fifteen (15) days following its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

(h) Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children; (i) Executive Director of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crimes; (j) Executive Director of the Optical Media Board; (k) Director of the National Bureau of Investigation; and (l) Three (3) representatives from children's nongovernmental organizations. These representatives shall be nominated by the government agency representatives of the Council for appointment by the President for a term of three (3) years and may be renewed upon renomination and reappointment by the Council and the President respectively. The members of the Council mat designate their permanent representatives, who shall have a rank not lower than assistant secretary or its equivalent, to meetings and shall receive emoluments as may be determined by the Council in accordance with existing budget and accounting rules and regulations. The DSWD shall establish the necessary Secretariat for the Council. Section 21. Functions of the Council. - The Council shall have the following powers and functions: (a) Formulate comprehensive and integrated plans and programs to prevent and suppress any form of child pornography; (b) Promulgate rules and regulations as may be necessary for the effective implementation of this Act; (c) Monitor and oversee the strict implementation of this Act; (d) Coordinate the programs and projects of the various members agencies effectively address the issues and problems attendant to child pornography; (e) Conduct and coordinate massive information disseminations and campaign on the existence of the law and the various issues and problems attendant to child pornography; (f) Direct other agencies to immediately respond to the problems brought to their attention and report to the Council on the action taken; (g) Assist in the filling of cases against individuals, agencies, institutions or establishments that violate the provisions of this Act; (h) Formulate a program for the reintegration of victims of child pornography; (i) Secure from any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the government or from NGOs and other civic organizations such assistance as may be needed to effectively implement this Act; (j) Complement the shared government information system relative to child abuse and exploitation and ensure that the proper agencies conduct a continuing research and study on the patterns and schemes of any form of child pornography which form basis for policy formulation and program direction; (k) develop the mechanism to ensure the timely, coordinated and effective response to cases of child pornography;

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7659 AN ACT TO IMPOSE THE DEATH PENALTY ON CERTAIN HEINOUS CRIMES, AMENDING FOR THAT PURPOSE THE REVISED PENAL LAWS, AS AMENDED, OTHER SPECIAL PENAL LAWS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES WHEREAS, the Constitution, specifically Article III, Section 19 paragraph (1) thereof, states "Excessive fines shall not be imposed nor cruel, degrading or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither shall death penalty be imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the Congress hereafter provides for it. . ."; WHEREAS, the crimes punishable by death under this Act are heinous for being grievous, odious and hateful offenses and which, by reason of their inherent or manifest wickedness, viciousness, atrocity and perversity are repugnant and outrageous to the common standards and norms of decency and morality in a just, civilized and ordered society; WHEREAS, due to the alarming upsurge of such crimes which has resulted not only in the loss of human lives and wanton destruction of property but also affected the nation's efforts towards sustainable economic development and prosperity while at the same time has undermined the people's faith in the Government and the latter's ability to maintain peace and order in the country; WHEREAS, the Congress, in the justice, public order and the rule of law, and the need to rationalize and harmonize the penal sanctions for heinous crimes, finds compelling reasons to impose the death penalty for said crimes; Now, therefore, Section 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to foster and ensure not only obedience to its authority, but also to adopt such measures as would effectively promote the maintenance of peace and order, the protection of life, liberty and property, and the promotion of the general welfare which are essential for the enjoyment by all the people of the blessings of democracy in a just and humane society; Section 2. Article 114 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 114. Treason. - Any Filipino citizen who levies war against the Philippines or adheres to her enemies giving them aid or comfort within the Philippines or elsewhere, shall be punished by reclusion perpetua to death and shall pay a fine not to exceed 100,000 pesos." No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two witnesses at least to the same overt act or on confession of the accused in open court. Likewise, an alien, residing in the Philippines, who commits acts of treason as defined in paragraph 1 of this Article shall be punished by reclusion temporal to death and shall pay a fine not to exceed 100,000 pesos." Section 3. Section Three, Chapter One, Title One of Book Two of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Section Three. - Piracy and mutiny on the high seas or in the Philippine waters Art. 122. Piracy in general and mutiny on the high seas or in Philippine waters. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be inflicted upon any person who, on the high seas, or in Philippine waters, shall attack or seize a vessel or, not being a member of its complement nor a passenger, shall seize the whole or part of the cargo of said vessel, its equipment or passengers. The same penalty shall be inflicted in case of mutiny on the high seas or in Philippine waters." Art. 123. Qualified piracy. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death shall be imposed upon those who commit any of the crimes referred to in the preceding article, under any of the following circumstances: 1. Whenever they have seized a vessel by boarding or firing upon the same; 2. Whenever the pirates have abandoned their victims without means of saving themselves or; 3. Whenever the crime is accompanied by murder, homicide, physical injuries or rape." Section 4. There shall be incorporated after Article 211 of the same Code a new article to read as follows:

"Art. 211-A. Qualified Bribery. - If any public officer is entrusted with law enforcement and he refrains from arresting or prosecuting an offender who has committed a crime punishable by reclusion perpetua and/or death in consideration of any offer, promise, gift or present, he shall suffer the penalty for the offense which was not prosecuted. If it is the public officer who asks or demands such gift or present, he shall suffer the penalty of death." Section 5. The penalty of death for parricide under Article 246 of the same Code is hereby restored, so that it shall read as follows: "Art. 246. Parricide. - Any person who shall kill his father, mother, or child, whether legitimate of illegitimate, or any of his ascendants, or descendants, or his spouse, shall be guilty of parricide and shall be punished by the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death." Section 6. Article 248 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 248. Murder. - Any person who, not falling within the provisions of Article 246 shall kill another, shall be guilty of murder and shall be punished by reclusion perpetua, to death if committed with any of the following attendant circumstances: 1. With treachery, taking advantage of superior strength, with the aid of armed men, or employing means to weaken the defense or of means or persons to insure or afford impunity. 2. In consideration of a price, reward or promise. 3. By means of inundation, fire, poison, explosion, shipwreck, stranding of a vessel, derailment or assault upon a railroad, fall of an airship, or by means of motor vehicles, or with the use of any other means involving great waste and ruin. 4. On occasion of any of the calamities enumerated in the preceding paragraph, or of an earthquake, eruption of a volcano, destructive cyclone, epidemic or other public calamity. 5. With evident premeditation. 6. With cruelty, by deliberately and inhumanly augmenting the suffering of the victim, or outraging or scoffing at his person or corpse." Section 7. Article 255 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 255. Infanticide. - The penalty provided for parricide in Article 246 and for murder in Article 248 shall be imposed upon any person who shall kill any child less than three days of age. If any crime penalized in this Article be committed by the mother of the child for the purpose of concealing her dishonor, she shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its medium and maximum periods, and if said crime be committed for the same purpose by the maternal grandparents or either of them, the penalty shall be reclusion temporal." Section 8. Article 267 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 267. Kidnapping and serious illegal detention. - Any private individual who shall kidnap or detain another, or in any other manner deprive him of his liberty, shall suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death: 1. If the kidnapping or detention shall have lasted more than three days. 2. If it shall have been committed simulating public authority. 3. If any serious physical injuries shall have been inflicted upon the person kidnapped or detained; or if threats to kill him shall have been made. 4. If the person kidnapped or detained shall be a minor, except when the accused is any of the parents, female or a public officer. The penalty shall be death penalty where the kidnapping or detention was committed for the purpose of extorting ransom from the victim or any other person, even if none of the circumstances above-mentioned were present in the commission of the offense.

When the victim is killed or dies as a consequence of the detention or is raped, or is subjected to torture or dehumanizing acts, the maximum penalty shall be imposed." Section 9. Article 294 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 294. Robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons - Penalties. - Any person guilty of robbery with the use of violence against or intimidation of any person shall suffer: 1. The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death, when by reason or on occasion of the robbery, the crime of homicide shall have been committed, or when the robbery shall have been accompanied by rape or intentional mutilation or arson. 2. The penalty of reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua, when or if by reason or on occasion of such robbery, any of the physical injuries penalized in subdivision I of Article 263 shall have been inflicted. 3. The penalty of reclusion temporal, when by reason or on occasion of the robbery, any of the physical injuries penalized in subdivision 2 of the article mentioned in the next preceding paragraph, shall have been inflicted. 4. The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period to reclusion temporal in its medium period, if the violence or intimidation employed in the commission of the robbery shall have been carried to a degree clearly unnecessary for the commission of the crime, or when in the course of its execution, the offender shall have inflicted upon any person not responsible for its commission any of the physical injuries covered by subdivisions 3 and 4 of said Article 263. 5. The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period to prision mayor in its medium period in other cases." Section 10. Article 320 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 320. Destructive Arson. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death shall be imposed upon any person who shall burn: 1. One (1) or more buildings or edifices, consequent to one single act of burning, or as a result of simultaneous burnings, committed on several or different occasions. 2. Any building of public or private ownership, devoted to the public in general or where people usually gather or congregate for a definite purpose such as, but not limited to, official governmental function or business, private transaction, commerce, trade, workshop, meetings and conferences, or merely incidental to a definite purpose such as but not limited to hotels, motels, transient dwellings, public conveyances or stops or terminals, regardless of whether the offender had knowledge that there are persons in said building or edifice at the time it is set on fire and regardless also of whether the building is actually inhabited or not. 3. Any train or locomotive, ship or vessel, airship or airplane, devoted to transportation or conveyance, or for public use, entertainment or leisure. 4. Any building, factory, warehouse installation and any appurtenances thereto, which are devoted to the service of public utilities. 5. Any building the burning of which is for the purpose of concealing or destroying evidence of another violation of law, or for the purpose of concealing bankruptcy or defrauding creditors or to collect from insurance. Irrespective of the application of the above enumerated qualifying circumstances, the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death shall likewise be imposed when the arson is perpetrated or committed by two (2) or more persons or by a group of persons, regardless of whether their purpose is merely to burn or destroy the building or the burning merely constitutes an overt act in the commission or another violation of law.

The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death shall also be imposed upon any person who shall burn: 1. Any arsenal, shipyard, storehouse or military powder or fireworks factory, ordnance, storehouse, archives or general museum of the Government. 2. In an inhabited place, any storehouse or factory of inflammable or explosive materials. If as a consequence of the commission of any of the acts penalized under this Article, death results, the mandatory penalty of death shall be imposed." Section 11. Article 335 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 335. When and how rape is committed. - Rape is committed by having carnal knowledge of a woman under any of the following circumstances: 1. By using force or intimidation; 2. When the woman is deprived of reason or otherwise unconscious; and 3. When the woman is under twelve years of age or is demented. The crime of rape shall be punished by reclusion perpetua. Whenever the crime of rape is committed with the use of a deadly weapon or by two or more persons, the penalty shall be reclusion perpetua to death. When by reason or on the occasion of the rape, the victim has become insane, the penalty shall be death. When the rape is attempted or frustrated and a homicide is committed by reason or on the occasion thereof, the penalty shall be reclusion perpetua to death. When by reason or on the occasion of the rape, a homicide is committed, the penalty shall be death. The death penalty shall also be imposed if the crime of rape is committed with any of the following attendant circumstances: 1. when the victim is under eighteen (18) years of age and the offender is a parent, ascendant, step-parent, guardian, relative by consanguinity or affinity within the third civil degree, or the common-law-spouse of the parent of the victim. 2. when the victim is under the custody of the police or military authorities. 3. when the rape is committed in full view of the husband, parent, any of the children or other relatives within the third degree of consanguinity. 4. when the victim is a religious or a child below seven (7) years old. 5. when the offender knows that he is afflicted with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) disease. 6. when committed by any member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the Philippine National Police or any law enforcement agency. 7. when by reason or on the occasion of the rape, the victim has suffered permanent physical mutilation." Section 12. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7080 (An Act Defining and Penalizing the Crime of Plunder) is hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 2. Definition of the Crime of Plunder; Penalties. - Any public officer who, by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives by affinity or consanguinity, business associates, subordinates or other persons, amasses, accumulates or acquires ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt criminal acts as described in Section 1 (d) hereof in the aggregate amount or total value of at least Fifty million pesos (P50,000,000.00) shall be guilty of the crime of plunder and shall be punished by reclusion perpetua to death. Any person who participated with the said public officer in the commission of an offense contributing to the crime of plunder shall likewise be punished for such offense. In the imposition of penalties, the degree of participation and the attendance of mitigating and extenuating circumstances, as provided by the Revised Penal Code, shall be considered by the court. The court shall declare any and all ill-gotten wealth and

their interests and other incomes and assets including the properties and shares of stocks derived from the deposit or investment thereof forfeited in favor of the State." Section 13. Sections 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9, of Article II of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, known as the Dangerous Drugs Act 1972, are hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 3. Importation of Prohibited Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall import or bring into the Philippines any prohibited drug. "Sec. 4. Sale, Administration, Delivery, Distribution and Transportation of Prohibited Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall sell, administer, deliver, give away to another, distribute, dispatch in transit or transport any prohibited drug, or shall act as a broker in any of such transactions. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20 of this Act to the contrary, if the victim of the offense is a minor, or should a prohibited drug involved in any offense under this Section be the proximate cause of the death of a victim thereof, the maximum penalty herein provided shall be imposed. "Sec. 5. Maintenance of a Den, Dive or Resort for Prohibited Drug Users. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person or group of persons who shall maintain a den, dive or resort where any prohibited drug is used in any form or where such prohibited drugs in quantities specified in Section 20, Paragraph 1 of this Act are found. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20 of this Act to the contrary, the maximum of the penalty shall be imposed in every case where a prohibited drug is administered, delivered or sold to a minor who is allowed to use the same in such place. Should a prohibited drug be the proximate cause of the death of a person using the same in such den, dive or resort, the maximum penalty herein provided shall be imposed on the maintainer notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20 of this Act to the contrary. "Sec. 7. Manufacture of Prohibited Drug. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall engage in the manufacture of any prohibited drug. "Sec. 8. Possession or Use of Prohibited Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall possess or use any prohibited drug subject to the provisions of Section 20 hereof. "Sec. 9. Cultivation of Plants which are Sources of Prohibited Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who shall plant, cultivate or culture any medium Indian hemp, opium poppy (papaver somniferum), or any other plant which is or may hereafter be classified as dangerous drug or from which any dangerous drug may be manufactured or derived. The land or portions hereof, and/or greenhouses on which any of said plants is cultivated or cultured shall be confiscated and escheated to the State, unless the owner thereof can prove that he did not know such cultivation or culture despite the exercise of due diligence on his part. If the land involved in is part of the public domain, the maximum of the penalties herein provided shall be imposed upon the offender." Section 14. Sections 14, 14-A, and 15 of Article III of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, are hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 14. Importation of Regulated Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall import or bring any regulated drug in the Philippines.

"Sec. 14-A. Manufacture of Regulated Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall engage in the manufacture of any regulated drug. "Sec. 15. Sale, Administration, Dispensation, Delivery, Transportation and Distribution of Regulated Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who, unless authorized by law, shall sell, dispense, deliver, transport or distribute any regulated drug. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20 of this Act to the contrary, if the victim of the offense is a minor, or should a regulated drug involved in any offense under this Section be the proximate cause of the death of a victim thereof, the maximum penalty herein provided shall be imposed." Section 15. There shall be incorporated after Section 15 of Article III of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, known as the Dangerous Drug Act of 1972, a new section to read as follows: "Sec. 15-a. Maintenance of a den, dive or resort for regulated drug users. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person or group of persons who shall maintain a den, dive or resort where any regulated drugs is used in any form, or where such regulated drugs in quantities specified in Section 20, paragraph 1 of this Act are found. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20 of this Act to the contrary, the maximum penalty herein provided shall be imposed in every case where a regulated drug is administered, delivered or sold to a minor who is allowed to use the same in such place. Should a regulated drug be the proximate cause of the death of a person using the same in such den, dive or resort, the maximum penalty herein provided shall be imposed on the maintainer notwithstanding the provisions of Section 20 of this Act to the contrary." Section 16. Section 16 of Article III of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, is amended to read as follows: "Sec. 16. Possession or Use of Regulated Drugs. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos shall be imposed upon any person who shall possess or use any regulated drug without the corresponding license or prescription, subject to the provisions of Section 20 hereof." Section 17. Section 20, Article IV of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 20. Application of Penalties, Confiscation and Forfeiture of the Proceeds or Instruments of the Crime. - The penalties for offenses under Section 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 of Article II and Sections 14, 14-A, 15 and 16 of Article III of this Act shall be applied if the dangerous drugs involved is in any of the following quantities : 1. 40 grams or more of opium; 2. 40 grams or more of morphine; 3. 200 grams or more of shabu or methylamphetamine hydrochloride; 4. 40 grams or more of heroin; 5. 750 grams or more of indian hemp or marijuana; 6. 50 grams or more of marijuana resin or marijuana resin oil; 7. 40 grams or more of cocaine or cocaine hydrochloride; or 8. In the case of other dangerous drugs, the quantity of which is far beyond therapeutic requirements, as determined and promulgated by the Dangerous Drugs Board, after public consultations/hearings conducted for the purpose. Otherwise, if the quantity involved is less than the foregoing quantities, the penalty shall range from prision correccional to reclusion perpetua depending upon the quantity. Every penalty imposed for the unlawful importation, sale, administration, delivery, transportation or manufacture of dangerous drugs, the cultivation of plants which are sources of

dangerous drugs and the possession of any opium pipe and other paraphernalia for dangerous drugs shall carry with it the confiscation and forfeiture, in favor of the Government, of all the proceeds of the crime including but not limited to money and other obtained thereby and the instruments or tools with which it was committed, unless they are the property of a third person not liable for the offense, but those which are not of lawful commerce shall be ordered destroyed without delay. Dangerous drugs and plant sources of such drugs as well as the proceeds or instruments of the crime so confiscated and forfeited in favor of the Government shall be turned over to the Board for proper disposal without delay. Any apprehending or arresting officer who misappropriates or misapplies or fails to account for seized or confiscated dangerous drugs or plant-sources of dangerous drugs or proceeds or instruments of the crime as are herein defined shall after conviction be punished by the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death and a fine ranging from five hundred thousand pesos to ten million pesos." Section 18. There shall be incorporated after Section 20 of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, a new section to read as follows: "Sec. 20-A. Plea-bargaining Provisions. - Any person charged under any provision of this Act where the imposable penalty is reclusion perpetua to death shall not be allowed to avail of the provision on plea bargaining." Section 19. Section 24 of Republic Act No. 6425, as amended, known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, is hereby amended to read as follows : "Sec. 24. Penalties for Government Official and Employees and Officers and Members of Police Agencies and the Armed Forces, 'Planting' of Evidence. - The maximum penalties provided for Section 3, 4(1), 5(1), 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 13 of Article II and Sections 14, 14-A, 15(1), 16 and 19 of Article III shall be imposed, if those found guilty of any of the said offenses are government officials, employees or officers, including members of police agencies and the armed forces. Any such above government official, employee or officer who is found guilty of "planting" any dangerous drugs punished in Sections 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 13 of Article II and Sections 14, 14-A, 15 and 16 of Article III of this Act in the person or in the immediate vicinity of another as evidence to implicate the latter, shall suffer the same penalty as therein provided." Section 20. Sec. 14 of Republic Act No. 6539, as amended, known as the Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Sec. 14. Penalty for Carnapping. - Any person who is found guilty of carnapping, as this term is defined in Section Two of this Act, shall, irrespective of the value of motor vehicle taken, be punished by imprisonment for not less than fourteen years and eight months and not more than seventeen years and four months, when the carnapping is committed without violence or intimidation of persons, or force upon things; and by imprisonment for not less than seventeen years and four months and not more than thirty years, when the carnapping is committed by means of violence against or intimidation of any person, or force upon things; and the penalty of reclusion perpetua to death shall be imposed when the owner, driver or occupant of the carnapped motor vehicle is killed or raped in the course of the commission of the carnapping or on the occasion thereof." Section 21. Article 27 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 27. Reclusion perpetua. - The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be from twenty years and one day to forty years. Reclusion temporal. - The penalty of reclusion temporal shall be from twelve years and one day to twenty years. Prision mayor and temporary disqualification. - The duration of the penalties of prision mayor and temporary disqualification shall be from six years and one day to twelve years, except when the penalty of disqualification is imposed as an accessory penalty, in which case, it shall be that of the principal penalty. Prision correccional, suspension, and destierro. - The duration of the penalties of prision correccional, suspension, and destierro shall be from six months and one day to six years, except when the suspension is imposed as an accessory penalty, in which case, its duration shall be that of the principal penalty.

Arresto mayor. - The duration of the penalty of arresto mayor shall be from one month and one day to six months. Arresto menor. - The duration of the penalty of arresto menor shall be from one day to thirty days. Bond to keep the peace. - The bond to keep the peace shall be required to cover such period of time as the court may determine." Section 22. Article 47 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: Art. 47. In what cases the death penalty shall not be imposed; Automatic review of the Death Penalty Cases. - The death penalty shall be imposed in all cases in which it must be imposed under existing laws, except when the guilty person is below eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the commission of the crime or is more than seventy years of age or when upon appeal or automatic review of the case by the Supreme Court, the required majority vote is not obtained for the imposition of the death penalty, in which cases the penalty shall be reclusion perpetua. In all cases where the death penalty is imposed by the trial court, the records shall be forwarded to the Supreme Court for automatic review and judgment by the Court en banc, within twenty (20) days but not earlier than fifteen (15) days after promulgation of the judgment or notice of denial of any motion for new trial or reconsideration. The transcript shall also be forwarded within ten (10) days from the filing thereof by the stenographic reporter." Section 23. Article 62 of the same Code, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows : "Art. 62. Effects of the attendance of mitigating or aggravating circumstances and of habitual delinquency. - Mitigating or aggravating circumstances and habitual delinquency shall be taken into account for the purpose of diminishing or increasing the penalty in conformity with the following rules: 1. Aggravating circumstances which in themselves constitute a crime specially punishable by law or which are included by the law in defining a crime and prescribing the penalty therefor shall not be taken into account for the purpose of increasing the penalty. 1(a). When in the commission of the crime, advantage was taken by the offender of his public position, the penalty to be imposed shall be in its maximum regardless of mitigating circumstances. The maximum penalty shall be imposed if the offense was committed by any group who belongs to an organized/syndicated crime group. An organized/syndicated crime group means a group of two or more persons collaborating, confederating or mutually helping one another for purposes of gain in the commission of any crime. 2. The same rule shall apply with respect to any aggravating circumstances inherent in the crime to such a degree that it must of necessity accompany the commission thereof. 3. Aggravating or mitigating circumstances which arise from the moral attributes of the offender, or from his private relations with the offended party, or from any other personal cause, shall only serve to aggravate or mitigate the liability of the principals, accomplices and accessories as to whom such circumstances are attendant. 4. The circumstances which consist in the material execution of the act, or in the means employed to accomplish it, shall serve to aggravate or mitigate the liability of those persons only who had knowledge of them at the time of the execution of the act or their cooperation therein. 5. Habitual delinquency shall have the following effects : (a) Upon a third conviction the culprit shall be sentenced to the penalty provided by law for the last crime of which he be found guilty and to the additional penalty of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods; (b) Upon a fourth conviction, the culprit shall be sentenced to the penalty provided for the last crime of which he be found guilty and to the additional penalty of prision mayor in its minimum and medium periods; and (c) Upon a fifth or additional conviction, the culprit shall be sentenced to the penalty provided for the last crime

of which he be found guilty and to the additional penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period to reclusion temporal in its minimum period. Notwithstanding the provisions of this article, the total of the two penalties to be imposed upon the offender, in conformity herewith, shall in no case exceed 30 years. For purposes of this article, a person shall be deemed to be a habitual delinquent, if within a period of ten years from the date of his release or last conviction of the crimes of serious or less serious physical injuries, robo, hurto, estafa or falsification, he is found guilty of any of said crimes a third time or oftener. Section 24. Article 81 of the same Code, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows : "Art. 81. When and how the death penalty is to be executed. - The death sentence shall be executed with preference to any other and shall consist in putting the person under sentence to death by electrocution. The death sentence shall be executed under the authority of the Director of Prisons, endeavoring so far as possible to mitigate the sufferings of the person under the sentence during electrocution as well as during the proceedings prior to the execution. If the person under sentence so desires, he shall be anaesthetized at the moment of the execution. As soon as facilities are provided by the Bureau of Prisons, the method of carrying out the sentence shall be changed to gas poisoning. The death sentence shall be carried out not later than one (1) year after the judgment has become final." Section 25. Article 83 of the same Code is hereby amended to read as follows: "Art. 83. Suspension of the execution of the death sentence. - The death sentence shall not be inflicted upon a woman while she is pregnant or within one (1) year after delivery, nor upon any person over seventy years of age. In this last case, the death sentence shall be commuted to the penalty of reclusion perpetua with the accessory penalties provided in Article 40. In all cases where the death sentence has become final, the records of the case shall be forwarded immediately by the Supreme Court to the Office of the President for possible exercise of the pardoning power." Section 26. <="" p=""> Section 27. If, for any reason or reasons, any part of the provision of this Act shall be held to be unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. Section 28. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. The publication shall not be later than seven (7) days after the approval hereof.

The same penalty shall be imposed when a person sets fire to his own property under circumstances which expose to danger the life or property of another. Section 2. Destructive Arson. The penalty of Reclusion Temporal in its maximum period to Reclusion Perpetua shall be imposed if the property burned is any of the following: 1. Any ammunition factory and other establishment where explosives, inflammable or combustible materials are stored. 2. Any archive, museum, whether public or private, or any edifice devoted to culture, education or social services. 3. Any church or place of worship or other building where people usually assemble. 4. Any train, airplane or any aircraft, vessel or watercraft, or conveyance for transportation of persons or property 4. Any building where evidence is kept for use in any legislative, judicial, administrative or other official proceedings. 5. Any hospital, hotel, dormitory, lodging house, housing tenement, shopping center, public or private market, theater or movie house or any similar place or building. 6. Any building, whether used as a dwelling or not, situated in a populated or congested area. Section 3. Other Cases of Arson. The penalty of Reclusion Temporal to Reclusion Perpetua shall be imposed if the property burned is any of the following: 1. Any building used as offices of the government or any of its agencies; 2. Any inhabited house or dwelling; 3. Any industrial establishment, shipyard, oil well or mine shaft, platform or tunnel; 4. Any plantation, farm, pastureland, growing crop, grain field, orchard, bamboo grove or forest; 4. Any rice mill, sugar mill, cane mill or mill central; and 5. Any railway or bus station, airport, wharf or warehouse. Section 4. Special Aggravating Circumstances in Arson. The penalty in any case of arson shall be imposed in its maximum period; 1. If committed with intent to gain; 2. If committed for the benefit of another; 3. If the offender is motivated by spite or hatred towards the owner or occupant of the property burned; 4. If committed by a syndicate. The offense is committed by a syndicate if its is planned or carried out by a group of three (3) or more persons. Section 5. Where Death Results from Arson. If by reason of or on the occasion of the arson death results, the penalty of Reclusion Perpetua to death shall be imposed. Section 6. Prima Facie evidence of Arson. Any of the following circumstances shall constitute prima facie evidence of arson:

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 1613 AMENDING THE LAW ON ARSON WHEREAS, findings of the police and intelligence agencies of the government reveal that fires and other crimes involving destruction in Metro Manila and other urban centers in the country are being perpetrated by criminal syndicates, some of which have foreign connections; WHEREAS, the current law on arson suffers from certain inadequacies that impede the successful enforcement and prosecution of arsonists; WHEREAS, it is imperative that the high incidence of fires and other crimes involving destruction be prevented to protect the national economy and preserve the social, economic and political stability of the country; NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree as part of the law of the land, the following: Section 1. Arson. Any person who burns or sets fire to the property of another shall be punished by Prison Mayor.

1. If the fire started simultaneously in more than one part of the building or establishment. 2. If substantial amount of flammable substances or materials are stored within the building note necessary in the business of the offender nor for household us. 3. If gasoline, kerosene, petroleum or other flammable or combustible substances or materials soaked therewith or containers thereof, or any mechanical, electrical, chemical, or electronic contrivance designed to start a fire, or ashes or traces of any of the foregoing are found in the ruins or premises of the burned building or property. 4. If the building or property is insured for substantially more than its actual value at the time of the issuance of the policy. 4. If during the lifetime of the corresponding fire insurance policy more than two fires have occurred in the same or other premises owned or under the control of the offender and/or insured. 5. If shortly before the fire, a substantial portion of the effects insured and stored in a building or property had been withdrawn from the premises except in the ordinary course of business.

6. If a demand for money or other valuable consideration was made before the fire in exchange for the desistance of the offender or for the safety of the person or property of the victim. Section 7. Conspiracy to commit Arson. Conspiracy to commit arson shall be punished by Prision Mayor in its minimum period. Section 8. Confiscation of Object of Arson. The building which is the object of arson including the land on which it is situated shall be confiscated and escheated to the State, unless the owner thereof can prove that he has no participation in nor knowledge of such arson despite the exercise of due diligence on his part. Section 9. Repealing Clause. The provisions of Articles 320 to 326-B of the Revised Penal Code and all laws, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Decree are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. Section 10. Effectivity. This Decree shall take effect immediately upon publication thereof at least once in a newspaper of general circulation.

(c) To sell or distribute, or cause to be sold or distributed, such photo or video or recording of sexual act, whether it be the original copy or reproduction thereof; or (d) To publish or broadcast, or cause to be published or broadcast, whether in print or broadcast media, or show or exhibit the photo or video coverage or recordings of such sexual act or any similar activity through VCD/DVD, internet, cellular phones and other similar means or device. The prohibition under paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) shall apply notwithstanding that consent to record or take photo or video coverage of the same was given by such person/s. Any person who violates this provision shall be liable for photo or video voyeurism as defined herein. Section 5. Penalties. - The penalty of imprisonment of not less that three (3) years but not more than seven (7) years and a fine of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court shall be imposed upon any person found guilty of violating Section 4 of this Act. If the violator is a juridical person, its license or franchise shall be automatically be deemed revoked and the persons liable shall be the officers thereof including the editor and reporter in the case of print media, and the station manager, editor and broadcaster in the case of a broadcast media. If the offender is a public officer or employee, or a professional, he/she shall be administratively liable. If the offender is an alien, he/she shall be subject to deportation proceedings after serving his/her sentence and payment of fines. Section 6. Exemption. - Nothing contained in this Act, however, shall render it unlawful or punishable for any peace officer, who is authorized by a written order of the court, to use the record or any copy thereof as evidence in any civil, criminal investigation or trial of the crime of photo or video voyeurism: Provided, That such written order shall only be issued or granted upon written application and the examination under oath or affirmation of the applicant and the witnesses he/she may produce, and upon showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe that photo or video voyeurism has been committed or is about to be committed, and that the evidence to be obtained is essential to the conviction of any person for, or to the solution or prevention of such, crime. Section 7. Inadmissibility of Evidence. - Any record, photo or video, or copy thereof, obtained or secured by any person in violation of the preceding sections shall not be admissible in evidence in any judicial, quasi-judicial, legislative or administrative hearing or investigation.1avvphi1 Section 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall remain valid and subsisting. Section 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction , administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. Section 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two(2) newspapers of general circulation.

Republic Act No. 9995 AN ACT DEFINING AND PENALIZING THE CRIME OF PHOTO AND VIDEO VOYEURISM, PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the Philippines in Congress assembled: Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009". Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State values the dignity and privacy of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights. Toward this end, the State shall penalize acts that would destroy the honor, dignity and integrity of a person. Section 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: (a) "Broadcast" means to make public, by any means, a visual image with the intent that it be viewed by a person or persons. (b) "Capture" with respect to an image, means to videotape, photograph, film, record by any means, or broadcast. (c) "Female breast" means any portion of the female breast. (d) "Photo or video voyeurism" means the act of taking photo or video coverage of a person or group of persons performing sexual act or any similar activity or of capturing an image of the private area of a person or persons without the latter's consent, under circumstances in which such person/s has/have a reasonable expectation of privacy, or the act of selling, copying, reproducing, broadcasting, sharing, showing or exhibiting the photo or video coverage or recordings of such sexual act or similar activity through VCD/DVD, internet, cellular phones and similar means or device without the written consent of the person/s involved, notwithstanding that consent to record or take photo or video coverage of same was given by such person's. (e) "Private area of a person" means the naked or undergarment clad genitals, public area, buttocks or female breast of an individual. (f) "Under circumstances in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy" means believe that he/she could disrobe in privacy, without being concerned that an image or a private area of the person was being captured; or circumstances in which a reasonable person would believe that a private area of the person would not be visible to the public, regardless of whether that person is in a public or private place. Section 4. Prohibited Acts. - It is hereby prohibited and declared unlawful for any person: (a) To take photo or video coverage of a person or group of persons performing sexual act or any similar activity or to capture an image of the private area of a person/s such as the naked or undergarment clad genitals, public area, buttocks or female breast without the consent of the person/s involved and under circumstances in which the person/s has/have a reasonable expectation of privacy; (b) To copy or reproduce, or to cause to be copied or reproduced, such photo or video or recording of sexual act or any similar activity with or without consideration;

REPUBLIC ACT No. 10364 AN ACT EXPANDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9208, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO INSTITUTE POLICIES TO ELIMINATE TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN, ESTABLISHING THE NECESSARY INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS FOR THE PROTECTION AND SUPPORT OF TRAFFICKED PERSONS, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR ITS VIOLATIONS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Expanded AntiTrafficking in Persons Act of 2012. Section 2. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared that the State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees the respect of individual rights. In pursuit of this policy, the State shall give highest priority to the enactment of measures and development of programs that will promote human dignity, protect the people from any threat of violence and exploitation, eliminate trafficking in persons, and mitigate pressures for involuntary

migration and servitude of persons, not only to support trafficked persons but more importantly, to ensure their recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into the mainstream of society. "It shall be a State policy to recognize the equal rights and inherent human dignity of women and men as enshrined in the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights, United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, United Nations Convention on the Protection of Migrant Workers and their Families, United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime Including its Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children and all other relevant and universally accepted human rights instruments and other international conventions to which the Philippines is a signatory." Section 3. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act: "(a) Trafficking in Persons refers to the recruitment, obtaining, hiring, providing, offering, transportation, transfer, maintaining, harboring, or receipt of persons with or without the victims consent or knowledge, within or across national borders by means of threat, or use of force, or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or of position, taking advantage of the vulnerability of the person, or, the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation which includes at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery, servitude or the removal or sale of organs. "The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, adoption or receipt of a child for the purpose of exploitation or when the adoption is induced by any form of consideration for exploitative purposes shall also be considered as trafficking in persons even if it does not involve any of the means set forth in the preceding paragraph. "(b) Child refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or one who is over eighteen (18) but is unable to fully take care of or protect himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition. "(c) Prostitution refers to any act, transaction, scheme or design involving the use of a person by another, for sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct in exchange for money, profit or any other consideration. "(d) Forced Labor refers to the extraction of work or services from any person by means of enticement, violence, intimidation or threat, use of, force or coercion, including deprivation of freedom, abuse of authority or moral ascendancy, debt-bondage or deception including any work or service extracted from any person under the menace of penalty. "(e) Slavery refers to the status or condition of a person over whom any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership are exercised. "(f) Involuntary Servitude refers to a condition of enforced and compulsory service induced by means of any scheme, plan or pattern, intended to cause a person to believe that if he or she did not enter into or continue in such condition, he or she or another person would suffer serious harm or other forms of abuse or physical restraint, or threat of abuse or harm, or coercion including depriving access to travel documents and withholding salaries, or the abuse or threatened abuse of the legal process. "(g) Sex Tourism refers to a program organized by travel and tourism-related establishments and individuals which consists of tourism packages or activities, utilizing and offering escort and sexual services as enticement for tourists. This includes sexual services and practices offered during rest and recreation periods for members of the military.

"(h) Sexual Exploitation refers to participation by a person in prostitution, pornography or the production of pornography, in exchange for money, profit or any other consideration or where the participation is caused or facilitated by any means of intimidation or threat, use of force, or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, debt bondage, abuse of power or of position or of legal process, taking advantage of the vulnerability of the person, or giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person; or in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct caused or facilitated by any means as provided in this Act. "(i) Debt Bondage refers to the pledging by the debtor of his/her personal services or labor or those of a person under his/her control as security or payment for a debt, when the length and nature of services is not clearly defined or when the value of the services as reasonably assessed is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt. "(j) Pornography refers to any representation, through publication, exhibition, cinematography, indecent shows, information technology, or by whatever means, of a person engaged in real or simulated explicit sexual activities or any representation of the sexual parts of a person for primarily sexual purposes. "(k) Council shall mean the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking created under Section 20 of this Act." Section 4. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 4. Acts of Trafficking in Persons. It shall be unlawful for any person, natural or juridical, to commit any of the following acts: "(a) To recruit, obtain, hire, provide, offer, transport, transfer, maintain, harbor, or receive a person by any means, including those done under the pretext of domestic or overseas employment or training or apprenticeship, for the purpose of prostitution, pornography, or sexual exploitation; "(b) To introduce or match for money, profit, or material, economic or other consideration, any person or, as provided for under Republic Act No. 6955, any Filipino woman to a foreign national, for marriage for the purpose of acquiring, buying, offering, selling or trading him/her to engage in prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; "(c) To offer or contract marriage, real or simulated, for the purpose of acquiring, buying, offering, selling, or trading them to engage in prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor or slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; "(d) To undertake or organize tours and travel plans consisting of tourism packages or activities for the purpose of utilizing and offering persons for prostitution, pornography or sexual exploitation; "(e) To maintain or hire a person to engage in prostitution or pornography; "(f) To adopt persons by any form of consideration for exploitative purposes or to facilitate the same for purposes of prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; "(g) To adopt or facilitate the adoption of persons for the purpose of prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage; "(h) To recruit, hire, adopt, transport, transfer, obtain, harbor, maintain, provide, offer, receive or abduct a person, by means of threat or use of force, fraud, deceit, violence, coercion, or intimidation for the purpose of removal or sale of organs of said person;

"(i) To recruit, transport, obtain, transfer, harbor, maintain, offer, hire, provide, receive or adopt a child to engage in armed activities in the Philippines or abroad; "(j) To recruit, transport, transfer, harbor, obtain, maintain, offer, hire, provide or receive a person by means defined in Section 3 of this Act for purposes of forced labor, slavery, debt bondage and involuntary servitude, including a scheme, plan, or pattern intended to cause the person either: "(1) To believe that if the person did not perform such labor or services, he or she or another person would suffer serious harm or physical restraint; or "(2) To abuse or threaten the use of law or the legal processes; and "(k) To recruit, transport, harbor, obtain, transfer, maintain, hire, offer, provide, adopt or receive a child for purposes of exploitation or trading them, including but not limited to, the act of baring and/or selling a child for any consideration or for barter for purposes of exploitation. Trafficking for purposes of exploitation of children shall include: "(1) All forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery, involuntary servitude, debt bondage and forced labor, including recruitment of children for use in armed conflict; "(2) The use, procuring or offering of a child for prostitution, for the production of pornography, or for pornographic performances; "(3) The use, procuring or offering of a child for the production and trafficking of drugs; and "(4) The use, procuring or offering of a child for illegal activities or work which, by its nature or the circumstances in which it is carried out, is likely to harm their health, safety or morals; and "(l) To organize or direct other persons to commit the offenses defined as acts of trafficking under this Act." Section 5. A new Section 4-A is hereby inserted in Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows: "SEC. 4-A. Attempted Trafficking in Persons. Where there are acts to initiate the commission of a trafficking offense but the offender failed to or did not execute all the elements of the crime, by accident or by reason of some cause other than voluntary desistance, such overt acts shall be deemed as an attempt to commit an act of trafficking in persons. As such, an attempt to commit any of the offenses enumerated in Section 4 of this Act shall constitute attempted trafficking in persons. "In cases where the victim is a child, any of the following acts shall also be deemed as attempted trafficking in persons: "(a) Facilitating the travel of a child who travels alone to a foreign country or territory without valid reason therefor and without the required clearance or permit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, or a written permit or justification from the childs parent or legal guardian; "(b) Executing, for a consideration, an affidavit of consent or a written consent for adoption; "(c) Recruiting a woman to bear a child for the purpose of selling the child; "(d) Simulating a birth for the purpose of selling the child; and "(e) Soliciting a child and acquiring the custody thereof through any means from among hospitals, clinics, nurseries, daycare centers, refugee or evacuation centers, and low-income families, for the purpose of selling the child." Section 6. A new Section 4-B is hereby inserted in Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows:

"SEC. 4-B. Accomplice Liability. Whoever knowingly aids, abets, cooperates in the execution of the offense by previous or simultaneous acts defined in this Act shall be punished in accordance with the provisions of Section 10(c) of this Act." Section 7. A new Section 4-C is hereby inserted in Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows: "SEC. 4-C. Accessories. Whoever has the knowledge of the commission of the crime, and without having participated therein, either as principal or as accomplices, take part in its commission in any of the following manners: "(a) By profiting themselves or assisting the offender to profit by the effects of the crime; "(b) By concealing or destroying the body of the crime or effects or instruments thereof, in order to prevent its discovery; "(c) By harboring, concealing or assisting in the escape of the principal of the crime, provided the accessory acts with abuse of his or her public functions or is known to be habitually guilty of some other crime. "Acts defined in this provision shall be punished in accordance with the provision of Section 10(d) as stated thereto." Section 8. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 5. Acts that Promote Trafficking in Persons. The following acts which promote or facilitate trafficking in persons, shall be unlawful: "(a) xxx "(b) To produce, print and issue or distribute unissued, tampered or fake counseling certificates, registration stickers, overseas employment certificates or other certificates of any government agency which issues these certificates, decals and such other markers as proof of compliance with government regulatory and pre-departure requirements for the purpose of promoting trafficking in persons; "(c) xxx "(d) xxx "(e) xxx "(f) xxx "(g) xxx "(h) To tamper with, destroy, or cause the destruction of evidence, or to influence or attempt to influence witnesses, in an investigation or prosecution of a case under this Act; "(i) To destroy, conceal, remove, confiscate or possess, or attempt to destroy, conceal, remove, confiscate or possess, any actual or purported passport or other travel, immigration or working permit or document, or any other actual or purported government identification, of any person in order to prevent or restrict, or attempt to prevent or restrict, without lawful authority, the persons liberty to move or travel in order to maintain the labor or services of that person; or "(j) To utilize his or her office to impede the investigation, prosecution or execution of lawful orders in a case under this Act." Section 9. Section 6 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 6. Qualified Trafficking in Persons. Violations of Section 4 of this Act shall be considered as qualified trafficking: "x x x "(d) When the offender is a spouse, an ascendant, parent, sibling, guardian or a person who exercises authority over the trafficked person or when the offense is committed by a public officer or employee; "x x x "(f) When the offender is a member of the military or law enforcement agencies;

"(g) When by reason or on occasion of the act of trafficking in persons, the offended party dies, becomes insane, suffers mutilation or is afflicted with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); "(h) When the offender commits one or more violations of Section 4 over a period of sixty (60) or more days, whether those days are continuous or not; and "(i) When the offender directs or through another manages the trafficking victim in carrying out the exploitative purpose of trafficking." Section 10. Section 7 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 7. Confidentiality. At any stage of the investigation, rescue, prosecution and trial of an offense under this Act, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, court personnel, social workers and medical practitioners, as well as parties to the case, shall protect the right to privacy of the trafficked person. Towards this end, law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges to whom the complaint has been referred may, whenever necessary to ensure a fair and impartial proceeding, and after considering all circumstances for the best interest of the parties, order a closeddoor investigation, prosecution or trial. The name and personal circumstances of the trafficked person or any other information tending to establish the identity of the trafficked person and his or her family shall not be disclosed to the public. "It shall be unlawful for any editor, publisher, and reporter or columnist in case of printed materials, announcer or producer in case of television and radio, producer and director of a film in case of the movie industry, or any person utilizing tri-media facilities or electronic information technology to cause publicity of the name, personal circumstances, or any information tending to establish the identity of the trafficked person except when the trafficked person in a written statement duly notarized knowingly, voluntarily and willingly waives said confidentiality. "Law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, court personnel, social workers and medical practitioners shall be trained on the importance of maintaining confidentiality as a means to protect the right to privacy of victims and to encourage victims to file complaints." Section 11. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 8. Initiation and Prosecution of Cases. "(a) Initiation of Investigation. Law enforcement agencies are mandated to immediately initiate investigation and countertrafficking-intelligence gathering upon receipt of statements or affidavit from victims of trafficking, migrant workers, or their families who are in possession of knowledge or information about trafficking in persons cases. "(b) Prosecution of Cases. Any person who has personal knowledge of the commission of any offense under this Act, such as the trafficked person, the parents, spouse, siblings, children or legal guardian may file a complaint for trafficking. "(c) Affidavit of Desistance. Cases involving trafficking in persons should not be dismissed based on the affidavit of desistance executed by the victims or their parents or legal guardians. Public and private prosecutors are directed to oppose and manifest objections to motions for dismissal. "Any act involving the means provided in this Act or any attempt thereof for the purpose of securing an Affidavit of Desistance from the complainant shall be punishable under this Act." Section 12. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 10. Penalties and Sanctions. The following penalties and sanctions are hereby established for the offenses enumerated in this Act: "(a) Any person found guilty of committing any of the acts enumerated in Section 4 shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of twenty (20) years and a fine of not less than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more than Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00); "(b) Any person found guilty of committing any of the acts enumerated in Section 4-A of this Act shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years and a fine of not less than Five

hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00); "(c) Any person found guilty of Section 4-B of this Act shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years and a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00); "In every case, conviction shall cause and carry the automatic revocation of the license or registration of the recruitment agency involved in trafficking. The license of a recruitment agency which trafficked a child shall be automatically revoked. "(d) Any person found, guilty of committing any of the acts enumerated in Section 5 shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years and a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00); "(e) Any person found guilty of qualified trafficking under Section 6 shall suffer the penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of not less than Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00) but not more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00); "(f) Any person who violates Section 7 hereof shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of six (6) years and a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00); "(g) If the offender is a corporation, partnership, association, club, establishment or any juridical person, the penalty shall be imposed upon the owner, president, partner, manager, and/or any responsible officer who participated in the commission of the crime or who shall have knowingly permitted or failed to prevent its commission; "(h) The registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and license to operate of the erring agency, corporation, association, religious group, tour or travel agent, club or establishment, or any place of entertainment shall be cancelled and revoked permanently. The owner, president, partner or manager thereof shall not be allowed to operate similar establishments in a different name; "(i) If the offender is a foreigner, he or she shall be immediately deported after serving his or her sentence and be barred permanently from entering the country; "(j) Any employee or official of government agencies who shall issue or approve the issuance of travel exit clearances, passports, registration certificates, counseling certificates, marriage license, and other similar documents to persons, whether juridical or natural, recruitment agencies, establishments or other individuals or groups, who fail to observe the prescribed procedures and the requirement as provided for by laws, rules and regulations, shall be held administratively liable, without prejudice to criminal liability under this Act. The concerned government official or employee shall, upon conviction, be dismissed from the service and be barred permanently to hold public office. His or her retirement and other benefits shall likewise be forfeited; and "(k) Conviction, by final judgment of the adopter for any offense under this Act shall result in the immediate rescission of the decree of adoption." Section 13. Section 11 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 11. Use of Trafficked Persons. Any person who buys or engages the services of a trafficked person for prostitution shall be penalized with the following: Provided, That the Probation Law (Presidential Decree No. 968) shall not apply: "(a) Prision Correccional in its maximum period to prision mayor or six (6) years to twelve (12) years imprisonment and a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not more than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00): Provided, however, That the following acts shall be exempted thereto: "(1) If an offense under paragraph (a) involves sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct with a child, the penalty shall be reclusion temporal in its medium period to reclusion perpetua or seventeen (17) years to forty (40) years imprisonment and a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00);

"(2) If an offense under paragraph (a) involves carnal knowledge of, or sexual intercourse with, a male or female trafficking victim and also involves the use of force or intimidation, to a victim deprived of reason or to an unconscious victim, or a victim under twelve (12) years of age, instead of the penalty prescribed in the subparagraph above the penalty shall be a fine of not less than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) but not more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) and imprisonment of reclusion perpetua or forty (40) years imprisonment with no possibility of parole; except that if a person violating paragraph (a) of this section knows the person that provided prostitution services is in fact a victim of trafficking, the offender shall not be likewise penalized under this section but under Section 10 as a person violating Section 4; and if in committing such an offense, the offender also knows a qualifying circumstance for trafficking, the offender shall be penalized under Section 10 for qualified trafficking. If in violating this section the offender also violates Section 4, the offender shall be penalized under Section 10 and, if applicable, for qualified trafficking instead of under this section; "(b) Deportation. If a foreigner commits any offense described by paragraph (1) or (2) of this section or violates any pertinent provision of this Act as an accomplice or accessory to, or by attempting any such offense, he or she shall be immediately deported after serving his or her sentence and be barred permanently from entering the country; and "(c) Public Official. If the offender is a public official, he or she shall be dismissed from service and shall suffer perpetual absolute disqualification to hold public, office, in addition to any imprisonment or fine received pursuant to any other provision of this Act." Section 14. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 12. Prescriptive Period. Trafficking cases under this Act shall prescribe in ten (10) years: Provided, however, That trafficking cases committed by a syndicate or in a large scale as defined under Section 6, or against a child, shall prescribe in twenty (20) years. "The prescriptive period shall commence to run from the day on which the trafficked person is delivered or released from the conditions of bondage, or in the case of a child victim, from the day the child reaches the age of majority, and shall be interrupted by the filing of the complaint or information and shall commence to run again when the proceedings terminate without the accused being convicted or acquitted or are unjustifiably stopped for any reason not imputable to the accused." Section 15. Section 16 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 16. Programs that Address Trafficking in Persons. The government shall establish and implement preventive, protective and rehabilitative programs for trafficked persons. For this purpose, the following agencies are hereby mandated to implement the following programs: "(a) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) shall make available its resources and facilities overseas for trafficked persons regardless of their manner of entry to the receiving country, and explore means to further enhance its assistance in eliminating trafficking activities through closer networking with government agencies in the country and overseas, particularly in the formulation of policies and implementation of relevant programs. It shall provide Filipino victims of trafficking overseas with free legal assistance and counsel to pursue legal action against his or her traffickers, represent his or her interests in any criminal investigation or prosecution, and assist in the application for social benefits and/or regular immigration status as may be allowed or provided for by the host country. The DFA shall repatriate trafficked Filipinos with the consent of the victims. "The DFA shall take necessary measures for the efficient implementation of the Electronic Passporting System to protect the integrity of Philippine passports, visas and other travel documents to reduce the

incidence of trafficking through the use of fraudulent identification documents. "In coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment, it shall provide free temporary shelters and other services to Filipino victims of trafficking overseas through the migrant workers and other overseas Filipinos resource centers established overseas under Republic Act No. 8042, as amended. "(b) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall implement rehabilitative and protective programs for trafficked persons. It shall provide counseling and temporary shelter to trafficked persons and develop a system for accreditation among NGOs for purposes of establishing centers and programs for intervention in various levels of the community. It shall establish free temporary shelters, for the protection and housing of trafficked persons to provide the following basic services to trafficked persons: "(1) Temporary housing and food facilities; "(2) Psychological support and counseling; "(3) 24-hour call center for crisis calls and technology-based counseling and referral system; "(4) Coordination with enforcement entities; and local law

"(5) Coordination with the Department of Justice, among others. "The DSWD must conduct information campaigns in communities and schools teaching parents and families that receiving consideration in exchange for adoption is punishable under the law. Furthermore, information campaigns must be conducted with the police that they must not induce poor women to give their children up for adoption in exchange for consideration. "(c) Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) shall ensure the strict implementation and compliance with the rules and guidelines relative to the employment of persons locally and overseas. It shall likewise monitor, document and report cases of trafficking in persons involving employers and labor recruiters. "(d) Department of Justice (DOJ) shall ensure the prosecution of persons accused of trafficking and designate and train special prosecutors who shall handle and prosecute cases of trafficking. It shall also establish a mechanism for free legal assistance for trafficked persons, in coordination with the DSWD, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and other NGOs and volunteer groups. "(e) Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) shall actively participate and coordinate in the formulation and monitoring of policies addressing the issue of trafficking in persons in coordination with relevant government agencies. It shall likewise advocate for the inclusion of the issue of trafficking in persons in both its local and international advocacy for womens issues. "(f) Bureau of Immigration (BI) shall strictly administer and enforce immigration and alien administration laws. It shall adopt measures for the apprehension of suspected traffickers both at the place of arrival and departure and shall ensure compliance by the Filipino fiancs/fiances and spouses of foreign nationals with the guidance and counseling requirement as provided for in this Act. "(g) Philippine National Police (PNP) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) shall be the primary law enforcement agencies to undertake surveillance, investigation and arrest of individuals or persons suspected to be engaged in trafficking. They shall closely coordinate with each other and with other law enforcement agencies to secure concerted efforts for effective investigation and apprehension of suspected traffickers. They shall also establish a system to

receive complaints and calls to assist trafficked persons and conduct rescue operations. "(h) Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration (OWWA) POEA shall implement PreEmployment Orientation Seminars (PEOS) while PreDeparture Orientation Seminars (PDOS) shall be conducted by the OWWA. It shall likewise formulate a system of providing free legal assistance to trafficked persons, in coordination with the DFA. "The POEA shall create a blacklist of recruitment agencies, illegal recruiters and persons facing administrative, civil and criminal complaints for trafficking filed in the receiving country and/or in the Philippines and those agencies, illegal recruiters and persons involved in cases of trafficking who have been rescued by the DFA and DOLE in the receiving country or in the Philippines even if no formal administrative, civil or criminal complaints have been filed: Provided, That the rescued victims shall execute an affidavit attesting to the acts violative of the anti-trafficking law. This blacklist shall be posted in conspicuous places in concerned government agencies and shall be updated bi-monthly. "The blacklist shall likewise be posted by the POEA in the shared government information system, which is mandated to be established under Republic Act No. 8042, as amended. "The POEA and OWWA shall accredit NGOs and other service providers to conduct PEOS and PDOS, respectively. The PEOS and PDOS should include the discussion and distribution of the blacklist. "The license or registration of a recruitment agency that has been blacklisted may be suspended by the POEA upon a review of the complaints filed against said agency. "(i) Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall institute a systematic information and prevention campaign in coordination with pertinent agencies of government as provided for in this Act. It shall provide training programs to local government units, in coordination with the Council, in ensuring wide understanding and application of this Act at the local level. "(j) Commission on Filipinos Overseas shall conduct pre-departure counseling services for Filipinos in intermarriages. It shall develop a system for accreditation of NGOs that may be mobilized for purposes of conducting pre-departure counseling services for Filipinos in intermarriages. As such, it shall ensure that the counselors contemplated under this Act shall have the minimum qualifications and training of guidance counselors as provided for by law. "It shall likewise assist in the conduct of information campaigns against trafficking in coordination with local government units, the Philippine Information Agency, and NGOs. "(k) Local government units (LGUs) shall monitor and document cases of trafficking in persons in their areas of jurisdiction, effect the cancellation of licenses of establishments which violate the provisions of this Act and ensure effective prosecution of such cases. They shall also undertake an information campaign against trafficking in persons through the establishment of the Migrants Advisory and Information Network (MAIN) desks in municipalities or provinces in coordination with the DILG, Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), NGOs and other concerned agencies. They shall encourage and support community-based initiatives which address the trafficking in persons. "In implementing this Act, the agencies concerned may seek and enlist the assistance of NGOs, peoples organizations (POs), civic organizations and other volunteer groups." Section 16. A new Section 16-A is hereby inserted into Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows:

"SEC. 16-A. Anti-Trafficking in Persons Database. An antitrafficking in persons central database shall be established by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking created under Section 20 of this Act. The Council shall submit a report to the President of the Philippines and to Congress, on or before January 15 of every year, with respect to the preceding years programs and data on trafficking-related cases. "All government agencies tasked under the law to undertake programs and render assistance to address trafficking in persons shall develop their respective monitoring and data collection systems, and databases, for purposes of ensuring efficient collection and storage of data on cases of trafficking in persons handled by their respective offices. Such data shall be submitted to the Council for integration in a central database system. "For this purpose, the Council is hereby tasked to ensure the harmonization and standardization of databases, including minimum data requirements, definitions, reporting formats, data collection systems, and data verification systems. Such databases shall have, at the minimum, the following information: "(a) The number of cases of trafficking in persons, sorted according to status of cases, including the number of cases being investigated, submitted for prosecution, dropped, and filed and/or pending before the courts and the number of convictions and acquittals; "(b) The profile/information on each case; "(c) The number of victims of trafficking in persons referred to the agency by destination countries/areas and by area of origin; and "(d) Disaggregated data on trafficking victims and the accused/defendants." Section 17. Section 17 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 17. Legal Protection to Trafficked Persons. Trafficked persons shall be recognized as victims of the act or acts of trafficking and as such, shall not be penalized for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of, or as an incident or in relation to, being trafficked based on the acts of trafficking enumerated in this Act or in obedience to the order made by the trafficker in relation thereto. In this regard, the consent of a trafficked person to the intended exploitation set forth in this Act shall be irrelevant. "Victims of trafficking for purposes of prostitution as defined under Section 4 of this Act are not covered by Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code and as such, shall not be prosecuted, fined, or otherwise penalized under the said law." Section 18. A new Section 17-A is hereby inserted into Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows: "SEC. 17-A. Temporary Custody of Trafficked Victims. The rescue of victims should be done as much as possible with the assistance of the DSWD or an accredited NGO that services trafficked victims. A law enforcement officer, on a reasonable suspicion that a person is a victim of any offense defined under this Act including attempted trafficking, shall immediately place that person in the temporary custody of the local social welfare and development office, or any accredited or licensed shelter institution devoted to protecting trafficked persons after the rescue." Section 19. A new Section 17-B is hereby inserted into Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows: "SEC. 17-B. Irrelevance of Past Sexual Behavior, Opinion Thereof or Reputation of Victims and of Consent of Victims in Cases of Deception, Coercion and Other Prohibited Means. The past sexual behavior or the sexual predisposition of a trafficked person shall be considered inadmissible in evidence for the purpose of proving consent of the victim to engage in sexual behavior, or to prove the predisposition, sexual or otherwise, of a trafficked person. Furthermore, the consent of a victim of trafficking to the intended exploitation shall be irrelevant where any of the means set forth in Section 3(a) of this Act has been used." Section 20. A new Section 17-C is hereby inserted into Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows: "SEC. 17-C. Immunity from Suit, Prohibited Acts and Injunctive Remedies. No action or suit shall be brought, instituted or maintained in any court or tribunal or before any other authority

against any: (a) law enforcement officer; (b) social worker; or (c) person acting in compliance with a lawful order from any of the above, for lawful acts done or statements made during an authorized rescue operation, recovery or rehabilitation/intervention, or an investigation or prosecution of an anti-trafficking case: Provided, That such acts shall have been made in good faith. "The prosecution of retaliatory suits against victims of trafficking shall be held in abeyance pending final resolution and decision of criminal complaint for trafficking. "It shall be prohibited for the DFA, the DOLE, and the POEA officials, law enforcement officers, prosecutors and judges to urge complainants to abandon their criminal, civil and administrative complaints for trafficking. "The remedies of injunction and attachment of properties of the traffickers, illegal recruiters and persons involved in trafficking may be issued motu proprio by judges." Section 21. Section 20 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 20. Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking. There is hereby established an Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, to be composed of the Secretary of the Department of Justice as Chairperson and the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as Co-Chairperson and shall have the following as members: "(a) Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs; "(b) Secretary, Department of Labor and Employment; "(c) Secretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government; "(d) Administrator, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration; "(e) Commissioner, Bureau of Immigration; "(f) Chief, Philippine National Police; "(g) Chairperson, Philippine Commission on Women; "(h) Chairperson, Commission on Filipinos Overseas; "(i) Executive Director, Transnational Crimes; and Philippine Center for

programs of the Council, including those involving mobilization of government offices represented in the Council as well as other relevant government offices, task forces, and mechanisms; "(c) Serve as principal assistant to the Chairperson in the overall supervision of council administrative business; "(d) Oversee all council operational activities; "(e) Ensure an effective and efficient performance of council functions and prompt implementation of council objectives, policies, plans and programs; "(f) Propose effective allocations of resources for implementing council objectives, policies, plans and programs; "(g) Submit periodic reports to the Council on the progress of council objectives, policies, plans and programs; "(h) Prepare annual reports of all council activities; and "(i) Perform other duties as the Council may assign." Section 23. A new Section 26-A is hereby inserted into Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows: "SEC. 26-A. Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction. The State shall exercise jurisdiction over any act defined and penalized under this Act, even if committed outside the Philippines and whether or not such act or acts constitute an offense at the place of commission, the crime being a continuing offense, having been commenced in the Philippines and other elements having been committed in another country, if the suspect or accused: "(a) Is a Filipino citizen; or "(b) Is a permanent resident of the Philippines; or "(c) Has committed the act against a citizen of the Philippines. "No prosecution may be commenced against a person under this section if a foreign government, in accordance with jurisdiction recognized by the Philippines, has prosecuted or is prosecuting such person for the conduct constituting such offense, except upon the approval of the Secretary of Justice. "The government may surrender or extradite persons accused of trafficking in the Philippines to the appropriate international court if any, or to another State pursuant to the applicable extradition laws and treaties." Section 24. Section 28 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended, to read as follows: "SEC. 28. Funding. The amount necessary to implement the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current years appropriations of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking under the budget of the DOJ and the appropriations of the other concerned departments. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act."1wphi1 Section 25. A new Section 28-A is hereby inserted into Republic Act No. 9208, to read as follows: "SEC. 28-A. Additional Funds for the Council. The amount collected from every penalty, fine or asset derived from any violation of this Act shall be earmarked as additional funds for the use of the Council. The fund may be augmented by grants, donations and endowment from various sources, domestic or foreign, for purposes related to their functions, subject to the existing accepted rules and regulations of the Commission on Audit." Section 26. Section 32 of Republic Act No. 9208 of the Repealing Clause is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 32. Repealing Clause. Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and all laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders, administrative orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly: Provided, That this Act shall not in any way amend or repeal the provisions of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the Special Protection of Child Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act."

"(j) Three (3) representatives from NGOs, who shall include one (1) representative each from among the sectors representing women, overseas Filipinos, and children, with a proven record of involvement in the prevention and suppression of trafficking in persons. These representatives shall be nominated by the government agency representatives of the Council, for appointment by the President for a term of three (3) years. "The members of the Council may designate their permanent representatives who shall have a rank not lower than an assistant secretary or its equivalent to meetings, and shall receive emoluments as may be determined by the Council in accordance with existing budget and accounting rules and regulations." Section 22. Section 22 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 22. Secretariat to the Council. The Department of Justice shall establish the necessary Secretariat for the Council. "The secretariat shall provide support for the functions and projects of the Council. The secretariat shall be headed by an executive director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of the DOJ upon the recommendation of the Council. The executive director must have adequate knowledge on, training and experience in the phenomenon of and issues involved in trafficking in persons and in the field of law, law enforcement, social work, criminology, or psychology. "The executive director shall be under the supervision of the InterAgency Council Against Trafficking through its Chairperson and Co-Chairperson, and shall perform the following functions: "(a) Act as secretary of the Council and administrative officer of its secretariat; "(b) Advise and assist the Chairperson in formulating and implementing the objectives, policies, plans and

Section 27. Section 33 of Republic Act No. 9208 is hereby amended to read as follows: "SEC. 33. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation."

(k) Duty detail order refers to a document issued by the juridical entity or employer wherein the details of the disposition of firearm is spelled-out, thus indicating the name of the employee, the firearm information, the specific duration and location of posting or assignment and the authorized bonded firearm custodian for the juridical entity to whom such firearm is turned over after the lapse of the order. (l) Firearm refers to any handheld or portable weapon, whether a small arm or light weapon, that expels or is designed to expel a bullet, shot, slug, missile or any projectile, which is discharged by means of expansive force of gases from burning gunpowder or other form of combustion or any similar instrument or implement. For purposes of this Act, the barrel, frame or receiver is considered a firearm. (m) Firearms Information Management System (FIMS) refers to the compilation of all data and information on firearms ownership and disposition for record purposes. (n) Forfeited firearm refers to a firearm that is subject to forfeiture by reason of court order as accessory penalty or for the disposition by the FEO of the PNP of firearms considered as abandoned, surrendered, confiscated or revoked in compliance with existing rules and regulations. (o) Gun club refers to an organization duly registered with and accredited in good standing by the FEO of the PNP which is established for the purpose of propagating responsible and safe gun ownership, proper appreciation and use of firearms by its members, for the purpose of sports and shooting competition, self-defense and collection purposes. (p) Gunsmith refers to any person, legal entity, corporation, partnership or business duly licensed by the FEO of the PNP to engage in the business of repairing firearms and other weapons or constructing or assembling firearms and weapons from finished or manufactured parts thereof on a per order basis and not in commercial quantities or of making minor parts for the purpose of repairing or assembling said firearms or weapons. (q) Imitation firearm refers to a replica of a firearm, or other device that is so substantially similar in coloration and overall appearance to an existing firearm as to lead a reasonable person to believe that such imitation firearm is a real firearm. (r) Licensed citizen refers to any Filipino who complies with the qualifications set forth in this Act and duly issued with a license to possess or to carry firearms outside of the residence in accordance with this Act. (s) Licensed, juridical entity refers to corporations, organizations, businesses including security agencies and local government units (LGUs) which are licensed to own and possess firearms in accordance with this Act. (t) Light weapons are: Class-A Light weapons which refer to self-loading pistols, rifles and carbines, submachine guns, assault rifles and light machine guns not exceeding caliber 7.62MM which have fully automatic mode; and Class-B Light weapons which refer to weapons designed for use by two (2) or more persons serving as a crew, or rifles and machine guns exceeding caliber 7.62MM such as heavy machine guns, handheld underbarrel and mounted grenade launchers, portable anti-aircraft guns, portable anti-tank guns, recoilless rifles, portable launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems, portable launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems, and mortars of a caliber of less than 100MM. (u) Long certificate of registration refers to licenses issued to government agencies or offices or government-owned or -controlled corporations for firearms to be used by their officials and employees who are qualified to possess firearms as provider in this Act, excluding security guards. (v) Loose firearm refers to an unregistered firearm, an obliterated or altered firearm, firearm which has been lost or stolen, illegally manufactured firearms, registered firearms in the possession of an individual other than the licensee and those with revoked licenses in accordance with the rules and regulations. (w) Major part or components of a firearm refers to the barrel, slide, frame, receiver, cylinder or the bolt assembly. The term also includes any part or kit designed and intended for use in converting a semi-automatic burst to a full automatic firearm. (x) Minor parts of a firearm refers to the parts of the firearm other than the major parts which are necessary to effect and complete the action of expelling a projectile by way of combustion, except those classified as accessories. (y) Permit to carry firearm outside of residence refers to a written authority issued to a licensed citizen by the Chief of the PNP which entitles such person to carry his/her registered or lawfully issued firearm outside of the residence for the duration and purpose specified in the authority. (z) Permit to transport firearm refers to a written authority issued to a licensed citizen or entity by the Chief of the PNP or by a PNP Regional Director which entitles such person or entity to transport a particular firearm

[REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10591] AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LAW ON FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: ARTICLE I TITLE, DECLARATION OF POLICY AND DEFINITION OF TERMS SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. It is the policy of the State to maintain peace and order and protect the people against violence. The State also recognizes the right of its qualified citizens to self-defense through, when it is the reasonable means to repel the unlawful aggression under the circumstances, the use of firearms. Towards this end, the State shall provide for a comprehensive law regulating the ownership, possession, carrying, manufacture, dealing in and importation of firearms, ammunition, or parts thereof, in order to provide legal support to law enforcement agencies in their campaign against crime, stop the proliferation of illegal firearms or weapons and the illegal manufacture of firearms or weapons, ammunition and parts thereof. SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. As used in this Act: (a) Accessories refer to parts of a firearm which may enhance or increase the operational efficiency or accuracy of a firearm but will not constitute any of the major or minor internal parts thereof such as, hut not limited to, laser scope, telescopic sight and sound suppressor or silencer. (b) Ammunition refers to a complete unfixed unit consisting of a bullet, gunpowder, cartridge case and primer or loaded shell for use in any firearm. (c) Antique firearm refers to any: (1) firearm which was manufactured at least seventy-five (75) years prior to the current date but not including replicas; (2) firearm which is certified by the National Museum of the Philippines to be curio or relic of museum interest; and (3) any other firearm which derives a substantial part of its monetary value from the fact that it is novel, rare, bizarre or because of its association with some historical figure, period or event. (d) Arms smuggling refers to the import, export, acquisition, sale, delivery, movement or transfer of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition, from or across the territory of one country to that of another country which has not been authorized in accordance with domestic law in either or both country/countries. (e) Authority to import refers to a document issued by the Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) authorizing the importation of firearms, or their parts, ammunition and other components. (f) Authorized dealer refers to any person, legal entity, corporation, partnership or business entity duly licensed by the Firearms and Explosive Office (FEO) of the PNP to engage in the business of buying and selling ammunition, firearms or parte thereof, at wholesale or retail basis. (g) Authorized importer refers to any person, legal entity, corporation, partnership or business duly licensed by the FEO of the PNP to engage in the business of importing ammunition and firearms, or parts thereof into the territory of the Republic of the Philippines for purposes of sale or distribution under the provisions of this Act. (h) Authorized manufacturer refers to any person, legal entity, corporation, or partnership duly licensed by the FEO of the PNP to engage in the business of manufacturing firearms, and ammunition or parts thereof for purposes of sale or distribution. (i) Confiscated firearm refers to a firearm that is taken into custody by the PNP, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and all other law enforcement agencies by reason of their mandate and must be necessarily reported or turned over to the PEO of the PNP. (j) Demilitarized firearm refers to a firearm deliberately made incapable of performing its main purpose of firing a projectile.

from and to a specific location within the duration and purpose in the authority. (aa) Residence refers to the place or places of abode of the licensed citizen as indicated in his/her license. (bb) Shooting range refers to a facility established for the purpose of firearms training and skills development, firearm testing, as well as for sports and competition shooting either for the exclusive use of its members or open to the general public, duly registered with and accredited in good standing by the FEO of the PNP. (cc) Short certificate of registration refers to a certificate issued by the FEO of the PNP for a government official or employee who was issued by his/her employer department, agency or government-owned or -controlled corporation a firearm covered by the long certificate of registration. (dd) Small arms refer to firearms intended to be or primarily designed for individual use or that which is generally considered to mean a weapon intended to be fired from the hand or shoulder, which are not capable of fully automatic bursts of discharge, such as: (1) Handgun which is a firearm intended to be fired from the hand, which includes: (i) A pistol which is a hand-operated firearm having a chamber integral with or permanently aligned with the bore which may be self-loading; and (ii) Revolver which is a hand-operated firearm with a revolving cylinder containing chambers for individual cartridges. (2) Rifle which is a shoulder firearm or designed to be fired from the shoulder that can discharge a bullet through a rifled barrel by different actions of loading, which may be classified as lever, bolt, or self-loading; and (3) Shotgun which is a weapon designed, made and intended to fire a number of ball shots or a single projectile through a smooth bore by the action or energy from burning gunpowder. (ee) Sports shooting competition refers to a defensive, precision or practical sport shooting competition duly authorized by the FEO of the PNP. (ff) Tampered, obliterated or altered firearm refers to any firearm whose serial number or other identification or ballistics characteristics have been intentionally tampered with, obliterated or altered without authority or in order to conceal its source, identity or ownership. (gg) Thermal weapon sight refers to a battery operated, uncooled thermal imaging device which amplifies available thermal signatures so that the viewed scene becomes clear to the operator which is used to locate and engage targets during daylight and from low light to total darkness and operates in adverse conditions such as light rain, light snow, and dry smoke or in conjunction with other optical and red dot sights. ARTICLE II OWNERSHIP AND POSSESSION OF FIREARMS SEC. 4. Standards and Requisites for Issuance of and Obtaining a License to Own and Possess Firearms. In order to qualify and acquire a license to own and possess a firearm or firearms and ammunition, the applicant must be a Filipino citizen, at least twenty-one (21) years old and has gainful work, occupation or business or has filed an Income Tax Return (ITR) for the preceding year as proof of income, profession, business or occupation. In addition, the applicant shall submit the following certification issued by appropriate authorities attesting the following: (a) The applicant has not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude: (b) The applicant has passed the psychiatric test administered by a PNPaccredited psychologist or psychiatrist; (c) The applicant has passed the drug test conducted by an accredited and authorized drug testing laboratory or clinic; (d) The applicant has passed a gun safety seminar which is administered by the PNP or a registered and authorized gun club; (e) The applicant has filed in writing the application to possess a registered firearm which shall state the personal circumstances of the applicant; (f) The applicant must present a police clearance from the city or municipality police office; and (g) The applicant has not been convicted or is currently an accused in a pending criminal case before any court of law for a crime that is punishable with a penalty of more than two (2) years. For purposes of this Act, an acquittal or permanent dismissal of a criminal case before the courts of law shall qualify the accused thereof to qualify and acquire a license.

The applicant shall pay the reasonable licensing fees as may be provided in the implementing rules and regulations of this Act. An applicant who intends to possess a firearm owned by a juridical entity shall submit his/her duty detail order to the FEO of the PNP. SEC. 5. Ownership of Firearms and Ammunition by a Juridical Entity. A juridical person maintaining its own security force may be issued a regular license to own and possess firearms and ammunition under the following conditions: (a) It must be Filipino-owned and duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); (b) It is current, operational and a continuing concern; (c) It has completed and submitted all its reportorial requirements to the SEC; and (d) It has paid all its income taxes for the year, as duly certified by the Bureau of Internal Revenue. The application shall be made in the name of the juridical person represented by its President or any of its officers mentioned below as duly authorized in a board resolution to that effect: Provided, That the officer applying for the juridical entity, shall possess all the qualifications required of a citizen applying for a license to possess firearms. Other corporate officers eligible to represent the juridical person are: the vice president, treasurer, and board secretary. Security agencies and LGUs shall be included in this category of licensed holders but shall be subject to additional requirements as may be required by the Chief of the PNP. SEC. 6. Ownership of Firearms by the National Government. All firearms owned by the National Government shall be registered with the FEO of the PNP in the name of the Republic of the Philippines. Such registration shall be exempt from all duties and taxes that may otherwise be levied on other authorized owners of firearms. For reason of national security, firearms of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies shall only be reported to the FEO of the PNP. SEC. 7. Carrying of Firearms Outside of Residence or Place of Business. A permit to carry firearms outside of residence shall be issued by the Chief of the PNP or his/her duly authorized representative to any qualified person whose life is under actual threat or his/her life is in imminent danger due to the nature of his/her profession, occupation or business. It shall be the burden of the applicant to prove that his/her life is under actual threat by submitting a threat assessment certificate from the PNP. For purposes of this Act, the following professionals are considered to be in imminent danger due to the nature of their profession, occupation or business: (a) Members of the Philippine Bar; (b) Certified Public Accountants; (c) Accredited Media Practitioners; (d) Cashiers, Bank Tellers; (e) Priests, Ministers, Rabbi, Imams; (f) Physicians and Nurses; (g) Engineers; and (h) Businessmen, who by the nature of their business or undertaking, are exposed to high risk of being targets of criminal elements. ARTICLE III REGISTRATION AND LICENSING SEC. 8. Authority to Issue License. The Chief of the PNP, through the FEO of the PNP, shall issue licenses to qualified individuals and to cause the registration of firearms. SEC. 9. Licenses Issued to Individuals. Subject to the requirements set forth in this Act and payment of required fees to be determined by the Chief of the PNP, a qualified individual may be issued the appropriate license under the following categories; Type 1 license allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of two (2) registered firearms; Type 2 license allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of five (5) registered firearms; Type 3 license allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of ten (10) registered firearms;

Type 4 license allows a citizen to own and possess a maximum of fifteen (15) registered firearms; and Type 5 license allows a citizen, who is a certified gun collector, to own and possess more than fifteen (15) registered firearms. For Types 1 to 5 licenses, a vault or a container secured by lock and key or other security measures for the safekeeping of firearms shall be required. For Types 3 to 5 licenses, the citizen must comply with the inspection and bond requirements. SEC. 10. Firearms That May Be Registered. Only small arms may be registered by licensed citizens or licensed juridical entities for ownership, possession and concealed carry. A light weapon shall be lawfully acquired or possessed exclusively by the AFP, the PNP and other law enforcement agencies authorized by the President in the performance of their duties: Provided, That private individuals who already have licenses to possess Class-A light weapons upon the effectivity of this Act shall not be deprived of the privilege to continue possessing the same and renewing the licenses therefor, for the sole reason that these firearms are Class A light weapons, and shall be required to comply with other applicable provisions of this Act. SEC. 11. Registration of Firearms. The licensed citizen or licensed juridical entity shall register his/her/its firearms so purchased with the FEO of the PNP in accordance with the type of license such licensed citizen or licensed juridical entity possesses. A certificate of registration of the firearm shall be issued upon payment of reasonable fees. For purposes of this Act, registration refers to the application, approval, record-keeping and monitoring of firearms with the FEO of the PNP in accordance with the type of license issued to any person under Section 9 of this Act. SEC. 12. License to Possess Ammunition Necessarily Included. The licenses granted to qualified citizens or juridical entities as provided in Section 9 of this Act shall include the license to possess ammunition with a maximum of fifty (50) rounds for each registered firearm: Provided; That the FEO of the PNP may allow more ammunition to be possessed by licensed sports shooters. SEC. 13. Issuance of License to Manufacture or Deal In Firearms and Ammunition. Any person desiring to manufacture or deal in firearms, parts of firearms or ammunition thereof, or instruments and implements used or intended to be used in the manufacture of firearms, parts of firearms or ammunition, shall make an application to: (a) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the case of an application for a license to manufacture; and (b) The Chief of the PNP in the case of a license to deal in firearms and firearms parts, ammunition and gun repair. The applicant shall state the amount of capitalization for manufacture or cost of the purchase and sale of said articles intended to be transacted by such applicant; and the types of firms, ammunition or implements which the applicant intends to manufacture or purchase and sell under the license applied for; and such additional information as may be especially requested by the Secretary of the DILG or the Chief of the PNP. The Secretary of the DILG or the Chief of the PNP may approve or disapprove such application based on the prescribed guidelines. In the case of approval, the Secretary of the DILG or the Chief of the PNP shall indicate the amount of the bond to be executed by the applicant before the issuance of the license and the period of time by which said license shall be effective, unless sooner revoked by their authority. Upon approval of the license to manufacture or otherwise deal in firearms by the Secretary of the DILG or the Chief of the PNP as the case may be, the same shall be transmitted to the FEO of the PNP which shall issue the license in accordance with the approved terms and conditions, upon the execution and delivery by the applicant of the required bond conditioned upon the faithful compliance on the part of the licensee to the laws and regulations relative to the business licensed. SEC. 14. Scope of License to Manufacture Firearms and Ammunition. The scope of the License to Manufacture firearms and ammunition shall also include the following: (a) The authority to manufacture and assemble firearms, ammunition, spare parts and accessories, ammunition components, and reloading of ammunitions, within sites, areas, and factories stated therein. The Secretary of the DILG shall approve such license; (b) The license to deal in or sell all the items covered by the License to Manufacture, such as parts, firearms or ammunition and components; (c) The authority to subcontract the manufacturing of parts and accessories necessary for the firearms which the manufacturer is licensed to

manufacture: Provided, That the subcontractor of major parts or major components is also licensed to manufacture firearms and ammunition; and (d) The authority to import machinery, equipment, and firearm parts and ammunition components for the manufacture thereof. Firearm parts and ammunition components to be imported shall, however, be limited to those authorized to be manufactured as reflected in the approved License to Manufacture. The Import Permit shall be under the administration of the PNP. A licensed manufacturer of ammunition is also entitled to import various reference firearms needed to test the ammunition manufactured under the License to Manufacture. A licensed manufacturer of firearms, on the other hand, is entitled to import various firearms for reference, test and evaluation for manufacture of similar, types of firearms covered by the License to Manufacture. An export permit shall, however, be necessary to export manufactured parts or finished products of firearms and ammunition. The Export Permit of firearms and ammunition shall be under the administration of the PNP. SEC. 15. Registration of Locally Manufactured and Imported Firearms. Local manufacturers and importers of firearms and major parts thereof shall register the same as follows: (a) For locally manufactured firearms and major parts thereof, the initial registration shall be done at the manufacturing facility: Provided, That firearms intended for export shall no longer be subjected to ballistic identification procedures; and (b) For imported firearms and major parts thereof, the registration shall be done upon arrival at the FEO of the PNP storage facility. SEC. 16. License and Scope of License to Deal. The License to Deal authorizes the purchase, sale and general business in handling firearms and ammunition, major and minor parts of firearms, accessories, spare parts, components, and reloading machines, which shall be issued by the Chief of the PNP. SEC. 17. License and Scope of License for Gunsmiths. The license for gunsmiths shall allow the grantee to repair registered firearms. The license shall include customization of firearms from finished or manufactured parts thereof on per order basis and not in commercial quantities and making the minor parts thereof, i.e. pins, triggers, trigger bows, sights and the like only for the purpose of repairing the registered firearm. The license for gunsmiths shall be issued by the Chief of the PNP. SEC. 18. Firearms for Use in Sports and Competitions. A qualified individual shall apply for a permit to transport his/her registered firearm/s from his/her residence to the firing range/s and competition sites as may be warranted. SEC. 19. Renewal of Licenses and Registration. All types of licenses to possess a firearm shall be renewed every two (2) years. Failure to renew the license on or before the date of its expiration shall cause the revocation of the license and of the registration of the firearm/s under said licensee. The registration of the firearm shall be renewed every four (4) years. Failure to renew the registration of the firearm on or before the date of expiration shall cause the revocation of the license of the firearm. The said firearm shall be confiscated or forfeited in favor of the government after due process. The failure to renew a license or registration within the periods stated above on two (2) occasions shall cause the holder of the firearm to be perpetually disqualified from applying for any firearm license. The application for the renewal of the license or registration may be submitted to the FEO of the PNP, within six (6) months before the date of the expiration of such license or registration. SEC. 20. Inspection and Inventory. The Chief of the PNP or his/her authorized representative shall require the submission of reports, inspect or examine the inventory and records of a licensed manufacturer, dealer or importer of firearms and ammunition during reasonable hours. ARTICLE IV ACQUISITION, DEPOSIT OF FIREARMS, ABANDONED, DEMILITARIZED AND ANTIQUE FIREARMS SEC. 21. Acquisition or Purchase and Sale of Firearms and Ammunition. Firearms and ammunition may only be acquired or purchased from authorized dealers, importers or local manufacturers and may be transferred or sold only from a licensed citizen or licensed juridical entity to another licensed citizen or licensed juridical entity: Provided, That, during election periods, the sale and registration of firearms and ammunition and the issuance of the corresponding licenses to citizens shall be allowed on the condition that the transport or delivery thereof shall strictly comply with the issuances, resolutions, rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission on Elections.

SEC. 22. Deposit of Firearms by Persons Arriving From Abroad. A person arriving in the Philippines who is legally in possession of any firearm or ammunition in his/her country of origin and who has declared the existence of the firearm upon embarkation and disembarkation but whose firearm is not registered in the Philippines in accordance with this Act shall deposit the same upon written receipt with the Collector of Customs for delivery to the FEO of the PNP for safekeeping, or for the issuance of a permit to transport if the person is a competitor in a sports shooting competition. If the importation of the same is allowed and the party in question desires to obtain a domestic firearm license, the same should be undertaken in accordance with the provisions of this Act. If no license is desired or leave to import is not granted, the firearm or ammunition in question shall remain in the custody of the FEO of the PNP until otherwise disposed of in-accordance with law. SEC. 23. Return of Firearms to Owner upon Departure from the Philippines. Upon the departure from the Philippines of any person whose firearm or ammunition is in the custody of the FEO of the PNP, the same shall, upon timely request, be delivered to the person through the Collector of Customs. In the case of a participant in a local sports shooting competition, the firearm must be presented to the Collector of Customs before the same is allowed to be loaded on board the carrier on which the person is to board. SEC. 24. Safekeeping of Firearms and Ammunition. Any licensee may deposit a registered firearm to the FEO of the PNP, or any Police Regional Office for safekeeping. Reasonable fees for storage shall be imposed. SEC. 25. Abandoned Firearms and Ammunition. Any firearm or ammunition deposited in the custody of the FEO of the PNP pursuant to the provisions of this Act, shall be deemed to have been abandoned by the owner or his/her authorized representative if he/she failed to reclaim the same within five (5) years or failed to advise the FEO of the PNP of the disposition to be made thereof. Thereafter, the FEO of the PNP may dispose of the same after compliance with established procedures. SEC. 26. Death or Disability of Licensee. Upon the death or legal disability of the holder of a firearm license, it shall be the duty of his/her next of kin, nearest relative, legal representative, or other person who shall knowingly come into possession of such firearm or ammunition, to deliver the same to the FEO of the PNP or Police Regional Office, and such firearm or ammunition shall be retained by the police custodian pending the issuance of a license and its registration in accordance, with this Act. The failure to deliver the firearm or ammunition within six (6) months after the death or legal disability of the licensee shall render the possessor liable for illegal possession of the firearm. SEC. 27. Antique Firearm. Any person who possesses an antique firearm shall register the same and secure a collectors license from the FEO of the PNP. Proper storage of antique firearm shall be strictly imposed. Noncompliance of this provision shall be considered as illegal possession of the firearm as penalized in this Act. ARTICLE V PENAL PROVISIONS SEC. 28. Unlawful Acquisition, or Possession of Firearms and Ammunition. The unlawful acquisition, possession of firearms and ammunition shall be penalized as follows: (a) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a small arm; (b) The penalty of reclusion temporal to reclusion perpetua shall be imposed if three (3) or more small arms or Class-A light weapons are unlawfully acquired or possessed by any person; (c) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a Class-A light weapon; (d) The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be imposed upon any person who shall, unlawfully acquire or possess a Class-B light weapon; (e) The penalty of one (1) degree higher than that provided in paragraphs (a) to (c) in this section shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully possess any firearm under any or combination of the following conditions: (1) Loaded with ammunition or inserted with a loaded magazine; (2) Fitted or mounted with laser or any gadget used to guide the shooter to hit the target such as thermal weapon sight (TWS) and the like; (3) Fitted or mounted with sniper scopes, firearm muffler or firearm silencer; (4) Accompanied with an extra barrel; and (5) Converted to be capable of firing full automatic bursts. (f) The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a small arm;

(g) The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a small arm or Class-A light weapon. If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the unlawful acquisition or possession of a small arm, the former violation shall be absorbed by the latter; (h) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a Class-A light weapon; (i) The penalty of prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a ClassA light weapon. If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the unlawful acquisition or possession of a Class-A light weapon, the former violation shall be absorbed by the latter; (j) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess a major part of a Class-B light weapon; and (k) The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully acquire or possess ammunition for a Class-B light weapon. If the violation of this paragraph is committed by the same person charged with the unlawful acquisition or possession of a ClassB light weapon, the former violation shall be absorbed by the latter. SEC. 29. Use of Loose Firearm in the Commission of a Crime. The use of a loose firearm, when inherent in the commission of a crime punishable under the Revised Penal Code or other special laws, shall be considered as an aggravating circumstance: Provided, That if the crime committed with the use of a loose firearm is penalized by the law with a maximum penalty which is lower than that prescribed in the preceding section for illegal possession of firearm, the penalty for illegal possession of firearm shall be imposed in lieu of the penalty for the crime charged: Provided, further, That if the crime committed with the use of a loose firearm is penalized by the law with a maximum penalty which is equal to that imposed under the preceding section for illegal possession of firearms, the penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed in addition to the penalty for the crime punishable under the Revised Penal Code or other special laws of which he/she is found guilty. If the violation of this Act is in furtherance of, or incident to, or in connection with the crime of rebellion of insurrection, or attempted coup d etat, such violation shall be absorbed as an element of the crime of rebellion or insurrection, or attempted coup d etat. If the crime is committed by the person without using the loose firearm, the violation of this Act shall be considered as a distinct and separate offense. SEC. 30. Liability of Juridical Person. The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum to prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon the owner, president, manager, director or other responsible officer of/any public or private firm, company, corporation or entity who shall willfully or knowingly allow any of the firearms owned by such firm, company, corporation or entity to be used by any person or persons found guilty of violating the provisions of the preceding section, or willfully or knowingly allow any of them to use unregistered firearm or firearms without any legal authority to be carried outside of their residence in the course of their employment. SEC. 31. Absence of Permit to Carry Outside of Residence. The penalty of prision correccional and a fine of Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person who is licensed to own a firearm but who shall carry the registered firearm outside his/her residence without any legal authority therefor. SEC. 32. Unlawful Manufacture, Importation, Sale or Disposition of Firearms or Ammunition or Parts Thereof, Machinery, Tool or Instrument Used or Intended to be Used in the Manufacture of Firearms, Ammunition or Parts Thereof. The penalty of reclusion temporal to reclusion perpetua shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully engage in the manufacture, importation, sale or disposition of a firearm or ammunition, or a major part of a firearm or ammunition, or machinery, tool or instrument used or intended to be used by the same person in the manufacture of a firearm, ammunition, or a major part thereof. The possession of any machinery, tool or instrument used directly in the manufacture of firearms, ammunition, or major parts thereof by any person whose business, employment or activity does not lawfully deal with the possession of such article, shall be prima facie evidence that such article is intended to be used in the unlawful or illegal manufacture of firearms, ammunition or parts thereof. The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum period to prision mayor in its medium period shall be imposed upon any laborer, worker or employee of a licensed firearms dealer who shall unlawfully take, sell or otherwise dispose of parts of firearms or ammunition which the company manufactures and sells, and other materials used by the company in the manufacture or sale of firearms or ammunition. The buyer or possessor of such stolen part or

material, who is aware that such part or material was stolen, shall suffer the same penalty as the laborer, worker or employee. If the violation or offense is committed by a corporation, partnership, association or other juridical entity, the penalty provided for in this section shall be imposed upon the directors, officers, employees or other officials or persons therein who knowingly and willingly participated in the unlawful act. SEC. 33. Arms Smuggling. The penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be imposed upon any person who shall engage or participate in arms smuggling as defined in this Act. SEC. 34. Tampering, Obliteration or Alteration of Firearms Identification. The penalty of prision correccional to prision mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall tamper, obliterate or alter without authority the barrel, slide, frame, receiver, cylinder, or bolt assembly, including the name of the maker, model, or serial number of any firearm, or who shall replace without authority the barrel, slide, frame, receiver, cylinder, or bolt assembly, including its individual or peculiar identifying characteristics essential in forensic examination of a firearm or light weapon. The PNP shall place this information, including its individual or peculiar identifying characteristics into the database of integrated firearms identification system of the PNP Crime Laboratory for future use and identification of a particular firearm. SEC. 35. Use of an Imitation Firearm. An imitation firearm used in the commission of a crime shall be considered a real firearm as defined in this Act and the person who committed the crime shall be punished in accordance with this Act: Provided, That injuries caused on the occasion of the conduct of competitions, sports, games, or any recreation activities involving imitation firearms shall not be punishable under this Act. SEC. 36. In Custodia Legis. During the pendency of any case filed in violation of this Act, seized firearm, ammunition, or parts thereof, machinery, tools or instruments shall remain in the custody of the court. If the court decides that it has no adequate means to safely keep the same, the court shall issue an order to turn over to the PNP Crime Laboratory such firearm, ammunition, or parts thereof, machinery, tools or instruments in its custody during the pendency of the case and to produce the same to the court when so ordered. No bond shall be admitted for the release of the firearm, ammunition or parts thereof, machinery, tool or instrument. Any violation of this paragraph shall be punishable by prision mayor in its minimum period to prision mayor in its medium period. SEC. 37. Confiscation and Forfeiture. The imposition of penalty for any violation of this Act shall carry with it the accessory penalty of confiscation and forfeiture of the firearm, ammunition, or parts thereof, machinery, tool or instrument in favor of the government which shall be disposed of in accordance with law. SEC. 38. Liability for Planting Evidence. The penalty of prision mayor in its maximum period shall be imposed upon any person who shall willfully and maliciously insert; place, and/or attach, directly or indirectly, through any overt or covert act, any firearm, or ammunition, or parts thereof in the person, house, effects, or in the immediate vicinity of an innocent individual for the purpose of implicating or incriminating the person, or imputing the commission of any violation of the provisions of this Act to said individual. If the person found guilty under this paragraph is a public officer or employee, such person shall suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua. SEC. 39. Grounds for Revocation, Cancellation or Suspension of License or Permit. The Chief of the PNP or his/her authorized representative may revoke, cancel or suspend a license or permit on the following grounds: (a) Commission of a crime or offense involving the firearm, ammunition, of major parts thereof; (b) Conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude or any offense where the penalty carries an imprisonment of more than six (6) years; (c) Loss of the firearm, ammunition, or any parts thereof through negligence; (d) Carrying of the firearm, ammunition, or major parts thereof outside of residence or workplace without, the proper permit to carry the same; (e) Carrying of the firearm, ammunition, or major parts thereof in prohibited places; (f) Dismissal for cause from the service in case of government official and employee; (g) Commission of any of the acts penalized under Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; (h) Submission of falsified documents or misrepresentation in the application to obtain a license or permit; (i) Noncompliance of reportorial requirements; and (j) By virtue of a court order.

SEC. 40. Failure to Notify Lost or Stolen Firearm or Light Weapon. A fine of Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) shall be imposed upon any licensed firearm holder who fails to report to the FEO of the PNP that the subject firearm has been lost or stolen within a period of thirty (30) days from the date of discovery. Likewise, a fine of Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) shall be imposed upon any person holding a valid firearm license who changes residence or office address other than that indicated in the license card and fails within a period of thirty (30) days from said transfer to notify the FEO of the PNP of such change of address. SEC. 41. Illegal Transfer/Registration of Firearms. It shall be unlawful to transfer possession of any firearm to any person who has not yet obtained or secured the necessary license or permit thereof. The penalty of prision correccional shall be imposed upon any person who shall violate the provision of the preceding paragraph. In addition, he/she shall be disqualified to apply for a license to possess other firearms and all his/her existing firearms licenses whether for purposes of commerce or possession, shall be revoked. If government-issued firearms, ammunition or major parts of firearms or light weapons are unlawfully disposed, sold or transferred by any law enforcement agent or public officer to private individuals, the penalty of reclusion temporal shall be imposed. Any public officer or employee or any person who shall facilitate the registration of a firearm through fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or submission of falsified documents shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional. ARTICLE VI FINAL PROVISIONS SEC. 42. Firearms Repository. The FEO of the PNP shall be the sole repository of all firearms records to include imported and locally manufactured firearms and ammunition. Within one (1) year upon approval of this Act, all military and law enforcement agencies, government agencies, LGUs and government-owned or -controlled corporations shall submit an inventory of all their firearms and ammunition to the PNP. SEC. 43. Final Amnesty. Persons in possession of unregistered firearms and holders of expired license or unregistered firearms shall register and renew the same through the Final General Amnesty within six (6) months from the promulgation of the implementing rules and regulations of this Act. During the interim period of six (6) months, no person applying for license shall be charged of any delinquent payment accruing to the firearm subject for registration. The PNP shall conduct an intensive nationwide campaign to ensure that the general public is properly informed of the provisions of this Act. SEC. 44. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within one hundred twenty (120) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Chief of the PNP, after public hearings and consultation with concerned sectors of society shall formulate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act to be published in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. SEC. 45. Repealing Clause. This Act repeals Sections 1, 2, 5 and 7 of Presidential Decree No. 1866, as amended, and Section 6 of Republic Act No. 8294 and all other laws, executive orders, letters of instruction, issuances, circulars, administrative orders, rules or regulations that are inconsistent herewith. SEC. 46. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act or any part hereof is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting. SEC. 47. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication in a newspaper of nationwide circulation.