MENTAL DISORDERS, DRUG  

DEPENDENCE, and RA 9165  
Insanity, definition  

• In  the  sociological  viewpoint,  insanity is the persistent inability through mental causes to adapt oneself to the ordinary 

environment  

• Insanity  in  medicine  is  the  prolonged  departure  of  the  individual  from  his  natural  mental  state  arising  from  bodily 
disease.  

– A person is insane when he is suffering from mental derangement or confusion or a condition which prevents 
a person from orienting himself.  

• Insanity  in  law  covers  nothing  more than the relation of a person and the particular act which is the subject of judicial 

investigation.  

– It more of an intellectual and moral concept rather than medical.  

It is a defect of the mind which renders a person incapable of entertaining criminal intent.  

NOTE: Insanity is already considered a medically obsolete term for medical mental conditions.  

LEGAL IMPORTANCE OF THE DETERMINATION OF INSANITY  

In the Civil Code  

a. Insanity is a restriction on the capacity of a natural person to act:  

“Art.  38  –  Minority,  insanity  or  imbecility,  the  state  of  being  a  deaf-mute,  prodigality  and  civil  interdiction  are  mere 
restrictions  on  capacity  to  act,  and  do  not  exempt  the  incapacitated  person  from  certain  obligations,  as  when  the  latter  arise 
from his acts or from property relations, such as easements.”  

b. It modifies or limits the capacity of a natural person to act:  

“Art.  39  –  The  following  circumstances,  among  others,  modify  or  limit  capacity  to  act:  age,  insanity,  imbecility,  state  of 
being  deaf-mute…  The  consequence  of these circumstances are governed in this Code, other codes, the Rules of Court and in 
special laws. Capacity to act is not limited on account of religious belief or political opinion.”  

c. A testator must be of sound mind at the time of execution of a will:  

“Art. 798 - In order to make a will it is essential that the testator be of sound mind at the time of its execution.   

“Art.  799  -  ​To  be  of  sound  mind,  it  is  not  necessary that the testator be in full possession of all his reasoning faculties, or 
that his mind be wholly unbroken, unimpaired, or unshattered by disease, injury or other cause.  

“It  shall  be  sufficient  if  the testator was able at the time of making the will to know the nature of the estate to be disposed 

of, the proper objects of his bounty, and the character of the testamentary act.   

“Art. 800 - The law presumes that every person is of sound mind, in the absence of proof to the contrary.”  

d. A witness to a will must be of sound mind:  

“Art.  820  -  Any  person  of  sound  mind  and of the age of eighteen years or more, and not blind, deaf or dumb, and able to 

read and write, may be a witness to the execution of a will mentioned in article 805 of this Code.”  

 
  

e. Insanity of the testator is a ground for disallowance of a will:  

“Art. 839 - The will shall be disallowed in any of the following cases:  

xxx  

(2) If the testator was insane, or otherwise mentally incapable of making a will, at the time of its execution;”  

f. ​An insane cannot give consent to a contract:  

“Art. 1327- The following cannot give consent to a contract: (1) Unemancipated minors;  

(2) Insane or demented persons, and deafmutes who do not know how to write.”  

g.  ​The  guardian  or  the  insane  himself,  if  there  is  no  parent  or  guardian  shall  be  held  liable  for  damages  due to 
his insanity:  

“Art. 2180, par 3 - Guardians are liable for damages  caused  by  the  minors  or incapacitated persons who are 
under their authority and live in their company.”  

“Art.  2182  - If the minor or insane person causing damage has no parents or guardian, the minor or insane person shall be 

answerable with his own property in an action against him where guardian ad litem shall be appointed.”  
In the Family Code  

a. ​Insanity at the time of marriage of any or both parties is a ground for the annulment of marriage:  

“Art. 45 -  
Xxx  

(2)  That  either  party  was  of  unsound  mind  unless  such  party  after  coming  to  reason,  freely  cohabited  with  the  other  as 
husband and  
wife;”  
  
In the Rules of Court  

a. ​A guardian on the person of the insane must be appointed:  

“Rule  92,  Sec.  2  -  Meaning  of  word  

“incompetent.”  --  ​Under  this rule, the word “incompetent” … those who are of unsound mind, even though they have lucid 
intervals…”  

“Rule  93,  Sec.  1  -  ​Who  may  petition  for  appointment of guardian for resident. — Any relative, friend, or other person on behalf of 

a  resident  minor  or  incompetent  who  has  no  parent  or  lawful  guardian…  An  officer  of  the  Federal  Administration  of  the 
United  States  in  the  Philippines  may  also  file  a  petition  in  favor  of  a  ward  thereof,  and  the Director of Health, in favor of an 
insane person who should be hospitalized, or in favor of an isolated leper.”  

a. ​An insane cannot be a witness in court:  

“Rule 130, Sec. 21 -​Disqualification by reason of mental incapacity or immaturity. —​ The following persons cannot be witnesses:  

(a)  Those  whose  mental  condition,  at  the  time  of  their  production  for  examination,  is  such  that  they  are  incapable  of 
intelligently making known their perception to others;”  

 
  

In the Revised Penal Code  

•  Fundamental  Principles  in  Criminal  

Responsibility  

1. A sane man is assumed to be wholly responsible for the consequence of his criminal act;  

2. A  person  who  commits  a  criminal  act  is  presumed  to  be  sane.  The  burden  of proof lies on the accused to prove that 
he is not sane and cannot be held responsible for his criminal act.  

3. Actus facit reum nisi mens sit rea ​(There cannot be a guilty act unless there is a guilty mind).  
  
As an Exempting Circumstance:  

“Art. 12 - Circumstances which exempt from criminal liability. - the following are exempt from criminal liability:  

1. An imbecile or an insane person, unless the latter has acted during a lucid interval.” Cases:  
People v. Bonaoan, 64 Phil 87  

An  accused  who  committed  homicide  and  has  been  known  to  be suffering from dementia praecox with delusions that he 
was being molested sexually, or that his property was being taken, was considered insane and exempted from  
criminal liability  
People v. Bascos, 44 Phil 204  

The  wife  of  the  accused  and  her  cousin  testified  that  the  accused  was  continuously  out  of  his  mind  for  many  years. 
The  assistance  district  health  officer  who  examined  the  accused  testified  that  he  was  suffering  from  violent  mania  and  that 
condition  could  be  present  at  the  time  he  killed  the  deceased.  There  was  no  motive  for  the  accused  to  kill  the deceased. The 
Court considered the accused insane. ​People v. Lucena, 69 Phil 350  

The accused was suffering from malignant malaria when she attacked, wounded and killed her husband. It has been shown 
that  malaria  affected  the  nervous  system  and  caused  complications  like  acute  melancholia  and  insanity  at  times.  The 
accused was considered not criminally liable.  
  

  

  
As a Mitigating Circumstance:  

“Art. 13 - Mitigating circumstances. - The following are mitigating circumstances; xxx  

8. That  the  offender  is  deaf  and  dumb,  blind  or  otherwise  suffering some physical defect which thus restricts his means 
of action, defense, or communications with his fellow beings.  

9. Such  illness  of  the  offender  as  would  diminish  the  exercise  of  the  will-power  of  the  offender  without  however 
depriving him of the consciousness of his acts.  

10. And, finally, any other circumstances of a similar nature and analogous to those above mentioned.” Cases:  

 
  

People v. Amit, 82 Phil 820  

The  fact  that  the  accused  is  suffering from a mild behavorial disorder as a consequence of an illness she had in early life is 

regarded as mitigating circumstance under Art. 13, Par. 8 or 9 of the Revised Penal Code.  
People v. Carpenter C.A., G.R. No. 4168  

One  who  was  suffering from acute neurosis which made him ill-tempered and easily angered was entitled to the mitigating 

circumstance because illness diminished his exercise of will power.  

What  phase  in  the criminal act where the evidence of insanity of the accused must be established? ​U.S. v. Guevera, 

27 Phil. 547  

The  evidence  of  insanity  ​must  refer  to  the  time  preceding  the  act  u​ nder  prosecution  or  to  ​the  very  moment  o
​ f  its execution. If the 
evidence  points  to  insanity  subsequent  to  the  commission  of  the  crime,  the  accused  cannot  be  acquitted.  He  is 
presumed to be sane when he committed it.  

Tests in determining insanity:  

1. McNaghten’s Rule  

A defense on the ground of insanity can be established if it can be proven that at the time of committing the act:  

i. The  accused  was  laboring  under  such  defect  of  reason  or  from  a  disease  of  the  mind  as  not  to  know  the 
nature of the act he was doing, or  

ii. If he did know, he did not know that what he was doing was wrong.  

2. Irresistible Impulse Rule  

A person  is  considered  insane  when  mental  disease  has  rendered  him  incapable  of  restraining  himself,  although  he 
understands what he is doing and knows it is wrong.  

3. Durham Rule  

The  determination  of  criminal responsibility is based on the answer to two questions:  

i. Is the defendant suffering from a mental disease or defect?  

ii. If so, was his crime a product of the mental disease or defect?  

4. Currens Rule  

In  order  to  make  the  accused  not  responsible  for  his  act  it  must  be  proven  that at the time of committing the prohibited 
act  the  defendant,  as  a  result  of  mental  disease  or  defect,  lacked  substantial  capacity  to  conform  his  conduct  to  the 
requirements of the which he has allegedly violated.  
5. American Law Institute Rule  

i. A  person  is  not  responsible  for  his  criminal  conduct  if  at  the  time  of  such  conduct  as  a  result  of  mental 
disease  or defect he lacks essential capacity as a result of mental disease or defect he lacks essential capacity to 
appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of the law;  

ii. The  term  “mental  disease or defect” does not include an abnormality manifested only by repeated criminal or 

otherwise anti-social conduct.  

A person who becomes insane after final sentence:  

 
  

“Art.  79  -  ​Suspension  of  the  execution  and  service  of  the  penalties  in  case  of  insanity.  -  When  a  convict  shall  become  insane  or  an 
imbecile  after  final  sentence  has been pronounced, the execution of said sentence shall be suspended only with regard 
to  the  personal  penalty,  the  provisions  of  the  second  paragraph  of  circumstance  number  1  of  Article  12  being 
observed in the corresponding cases.”  
 

MENTAL DEFICIENCY 

Mental  Deficiency,  Definition  (idiot,  imbecile,  Feeble-minded,  moral  defective,  mental  retarded  ​(profound, 
Severe, moderate, mild)  

-  (​mental  subnormality​,  ​mental retardation​) is the below-normal intellectual functioning which originates from the arrest ​or 

incomplete  development  of  the  mind  during  the  development  period  below  the  age  of  18  which  may  be  induced  by 
various factors associated with the impairment of learning, social adjustment or maturation.  
  
Classical Classification:​ (​NOTE: THIS CLASSIFICATION IS ALSO ALREADY CONSIDERED OBSOLETE) 

-  idiot, imbecile, Feeble-minded, moral defective, mental retarded (profound, Severe, moderate, mild, borderline)  
  
1. Idiot  -  U
​ sually  congenital  and  due  to  ​defective  development  of  the  mental  faculties.  An  idiot  is  wanting  in  memory,  will 
power and emotion.   
  
He  cannot  express  himself  by  language,  is  quiet,  timid  and  easily  irritated.  He  cannot  guard  himself  against  common 
physical  dangers.  The  deficiency  is  usually  associated  with  physical  abnormalities  like microcephaly and mongolism. Mentality 
never exceeds that of a normal child over 2 years old. The I.Q. is between 0 — 20.  
  
2. Imbecile  ​—  Although  the  mental  defect  is  not  as  severe  as  that  of  idiots,  ​he  cannot  ​manage  his own affairs​.  The mental 
age may be compared to a normal child from 2 to 7 years old and the I.Q. is 20 - 40.  
  
3. Feeble-minded  — ​   Person  whose  mental  defect,  although  not  amounting  to  imbecility,  is  pronounced  such  that  he  requires 
care,  supervision,  and  control  for  his  protection  and  for  the  protection  of  others.  ​He  is  incapable  of  receiving  proper 
benefit  from  instructions  in  ordinary  school.  He  lacks  initiative  and  ability  for  any  work  or  responsibility.  He  has  a 
mentality similar to that of a normal child between 7 to 12 years old and an I. Q. of 40-70.   
  
4. Moron  —  A  f​ eeble-minded  person  of  considerably  higher  intelligence  as  that  of  an  imbecile  ​but  his  intellectual  faculties 
and  ​judgment  are  not as well developed as in a ​normal individual. He can carry routine duties in civilized society as long as 
the  demands  made  upon  his  mental  capacity  is  not  too  discretionary.  He  is  amenable  to  the  customs  of  the  community 
and may not present so much of a social problem.   
  
5. Moral  Defective  —  ​In addition to the mental defect, there are strong vicious and criminal propensities, so that the person 
requires  care,  supervision  and  control  for  the  protection  of  others.  ​He  is  devoid  of  ​moral  sense  and  often  shows 
intellectual  ​deficiency,  though  he  may  be  mentally  ​alert. He is careless; pleasure loving; and a ​devil-may-care sort of young 
man  or  ​woman  who adheres to the principles of "live today for tomorrow we die", "live fast and die young" and "it is only 
happiness that counts".  
  
New classification: Mental retardation   
  
6. Profound​ — I​ .Q. is under 20, and capable at most to limited self-help. There is ​most likely  
a need for hospitalization​ or some type of environment in which care is available throughout his life-time.   

 
  

  
7. Severe  —  ​I.Q.  is  between  20 and 35 and capable of habit training as a child. As an adult he is likely in ​need of a controlled 
environment.   
  
8. Moderate  — ​   I​ .Q.  is  36  to  51  and  can  develop  academic  skill  equal  to  about  the  ​second  grade  level.  As  an  adult  he  will 
most probably need a sheltered​ ​environment​.  
9. Mild  — ​   I​ .Q.  is  52  —  67  and  constitutes  the  greatest  group  of  mentally  retarded.  He can ​develop academic skill to about 
the  ​sixth  grade  level​.  As  an  adult  he  can  develop  social  and  vocational  skills.  Whether  he  is  to  be  institutionalized or not 
depends more on his social skill and on the range of alternatives available to him than on his intellectual functioning.   
  
10. Although  it  is  not  a  part of the original standard classification, a fifth degree known as ​borderline retardation with an I.Q. 
of 68 — 83 may be added.  
  
  
How the Court Becomes Aware of the Mental Condition of a Person:  

  
1. EVIDENCE  presented  -  Any  party  in a proceeding may ​present evidence to show the mental condition of a person. He 
who alleges something must prove the same by presentation of evidence in support of his allegation.   
  
In  a  criminal  proceeding  wherein  the  defense  of  insanity  is  invoked,  the  party  must  present  proof  that  the  accused  is 
insane  and  does  not  know  the  nature  and  quality  of  his  act.  In  the  probate  of  a  will,  the  petitioner  must  present  evidence  to 
show that the testator is of a sound and disposing mind at the time of execution of a will.  
  
2. COURT  ORDER  -  Upon  motion  of  one  of the parties, the court may issue an order to submit a person to a physical and 
mental  
examination. ​(Rule 28, Rules of Court)  
  
Rule 28, Rules of Court): ​Physical and mental examination of person:  
  
Sec.  1.  ​When  examination  may  be  ordered  ​—  In  an  action  in  which  the  mental  or  physical  condition  of  a  party  is  in 
controversy,  ​the  court  in  which  the  action  is  pending  may in its discretion order him to submit to a physical and mental 
examination by a physician.  
  
Sec.  2.  ​Order  for  Examination  —  ​The  order  for  examination  may  be  made  only  on  motion  for  good  cause  shown  and 
upon  notice  to  the  party to be examined and to all other parties​, and shall ​specify the time, place, manner, conditions 
and scope​ of the examination and the ​person or persons​ by whom it is to be made.   
  
Sec.  3.  ​Report  of  findings  —  ​If  requested  by  the  person  examined,  the  party  causing  the  examination  to  be  made  shall 
deliver  to ​him a copy of a detailed written report of the examining physician setting out his findings and conclusions. 
After  such  request  and  delivery  the  party  causing  the  examination  to  be  made  shall  be  entitled  upon  request  to  receive  from 
the  party  examined  a  like report of any examination, previously or thereafter made, of the same mental and physical condition. 
If  the  party  examined  refuses  to  deliver  such  report  the  court  on  motion  and  notice may make an order requiring delivery on 
such  terms  as are just, and if a physician fails or refuses to make such a report the court may exclude his testimony if offered at 
the trial.  
  

Ways of Hospitalizing an insane person  

 
  

  
1. Judicial - Rule 101, Rules of Court ​(Secs.1 - 5)  
- Upon petition by the Director of Mental​ ​Health   

- By Court order upon knowledge than an​ i​ nsane/imbecile committed a felony-​ A

​ rt.12, RPC  
When  the  imbecile  or  an  insane  person  has  committed  an  act  which  the  law  defines  as  a  felony  (delito),  the  court  shall 
order  his  confinement,  in  one  of  the  hospitals  or  asylums  established  for  persons  thus  afflicted,  which  he  shall  not  be 
permitted to leave without first obtaining permission of the same court.  
  
2. Extra-judicial  
- Voluntary (by himself during lucid​ i​ ntervals or normal condition)  

The  insane  person  himself  or  with  the assistance of the relatives or guardian during the lucid intervals or during such time 

that  he  is  still  normal  may  request  his  confinement  in  a  hospital  or  asylum.  This is common among persons who are afflicted 
with the disease and are aware of the advantage of hospitalization.  
  
- Involuntary (by concerned persons, or​ ​Police power or ordinance)  

The  immediate  relatives,  the  peace  officer  or  other  persons  who  are  concerned  with  the  welfare  of the society may force 
the  insane  to  be  confined  in  a  hospital.  Such  coercive  confinement  may  be  in  accordance  with  the  valid  exercise  of  police 
power of the state or by virtue of ordinance.  
  

MALINGERING  

Malingering, definition  

- is  the  purposeful  production  of  falsely  or  grossly  exaggerated  physical  and/or  psychological  symptoms  with  the  goal  of 
receiving a reward.  
- Is the feigning or simulation of a disease or injury characterized by ostentation, exaggeration and inconsistency.   
- Malingering, however, is not considered a mental illness  
  
2 TYPES OF MALINGERING  
  
1. Feigning or Fictitious Malingering   
- Built up out of pure imagination and does not have the slight basis of fact  
2. Factitious Malingering   

- A  disease  really  exists  as  a  fact  but  is  converted  to  a  more  serious  disability or injury or to an exaggeration of the real 
complaint   
- The  person  here  is  really  suffering  from  an  injury  or  disease  but  he  may  exaggerate  or  amplify  the seriousness of the 
complaint or nature of the injury or disease.   

  
OTHER CONDITIONS MANIFESTING OR  
SIMULATING DISTURBANCE OF MENTALITY  
  
Somnambulism  
- This is an abnormal mental condition whereby a person is performing an act while in the state of natural sleep.   

 
  

- The  person  might  be  concentrated  in  a  particular  train  of  idea  or  obsessed  by  a  certain  thought  which  baffled  his  mind 
that he tried to execute it while in the state of sleep.   
- Somnambulist has no recollection of the events occurring during the fit   
  
- In several courts of different countries they are exempted from criminal liability Philippine Case:   
People v. Gimena​ – the defendant attacked his wife with a bolo; the defense was that he was in a state of somnambulism when he 
attacked his wife. The court held that the offense charged was committed in a state of somnambulism.  The  courts 
recognize somnambulism as an exempting circumstance as a manifestation of insanity. Here, the defendant was placed under 
observation for sometime but it was not shown that he was suffering from somnambulism  

Semisomnolence or Somnolencia  
  
- When a person is half asleep or in a condition between sleep and waking  
- A person may be suddenly aroused and may unconsciously commit a criminal act  
  
Hypnotism or Mesmerism  
  
Person is made unconscious by suggestive influence of the hypnotist  
- He may commit a criminal act while under the influence of hypnotism which he may not be capable of doing while under a  
normal state  
  
A person cannot be hypnotized against his will   
- If a person volunteers to be hypnotized he must anticipate all the consequences of his  
acts while under the hypnotic spell  
  
Hypnotism as a defense is not favored in the court  
- A person cannot take advantage of his own misconduct  
 
DRUG DEPENDENCE   
  
Drugs, defined.  

A  drug  is  any  substance,  vegetable,  mineral or animal in origin, used in the composition or preparation of medicine or any 

substance used as medicine.  

Pharmacologic Classification of Dangerous Drugs  

1. Hypnotics  
2. Sedatives and Tranquilizers  
3. Hallucinogens and Psychomimetics  
4. Stimulants  
5. Deliriants and Intoxicants.  
DRUG  DEPENDENCE  means  a  state  of  psychic  or  physical  dependence,  or  both,  on  a ​dangerous drug​, arising in a 
person following administration or use of that drug on a periodic or continuous basis. ​What is “dangerous drugs”?  
 
 

 
  

 
 
 
R.A. 6425   R.A. 9165  
A dangerous drug is a drug  Dangerous drugs include 
whose use is attended by  those listed in the Schedules 
risk and therefore unsafe,  annexed to the 1961 Single 
perilous and hazardous to  Convention on Narcotic 
people and/or to a society.   Drugs, as amended by the  
   1972 Protocol, and in the 
Schedules annexed to the 
1971 Single Convention on  
Psychotropic Substances as 
enumerated in the attached 
annex which is an integral  
part of this Act.”  
  

  

Under  the  Dangerous  Drug  Act  of  1972  drugs  are  classified  into  either  prohibited  drugs  and  regulated  drugs.  However, 
under the new law R.A 9165 which repealed the R.A 6425, there is no such distinction.   

Drug dependence may either be a condition of drug addiction or drug habituation.  

According  to  World Health Organization (WHO) drug addiction is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication produced by 

the  repeated  consumption  of  a  drug,  whether  synthetic  or  natural,  and  found  to  be  detrimental  to  the  individual  and  to  the 
society.  

DRUG  HABITUATION  is  the  desire  to  have  continues  use  of  drug  but  with  the  capacity  to  refrain  physically  from 
using it.  
 
 
Drug Addiction   Drug Habituation  

 
  

a. An overpowering   a. The  desire  to  use 

desire  or  the  drug  is  not 
compulsive   compulsive  but 
need  to  continue  merely physical.  
taking  the  drug  or  b. There  is  little  or  no 
to  obtain  it  by  any  tendency  to 
means   increase the dose  
b. A  tendency  to  c. The  dependence  is 
increase the dose   not psychological  
c. A  psychological  but  merely  
and  physical  physical  
dependence  on  the  d. The  detrimental 
effects of the drug   effect  is  primarily 
d. A  detrimental  on the individual.  
effect  to the society 
and  to  the 
individual  

  
 
Edited from the notes of the group of: 
Genelyn Omlang
Shemar K. Queniahan
Roland Sacristan
Kiara Nicole B. Tudtud
M3 Legal Medicine Friday 9:00pm to 10:00 pm
 
 
Please  read  the  Framework  on  Plea  Bargaining  for  Drugs  Cases,  particularly  on  the  procedure  (remarks  part  of  the 
table) and the requirement on drug dependency exam (DDE).