REPUBLIC ACT 9262

Anti-Violence Against Women and

Their Children Act of 2004

Ano ang Anti-VAWC Act?

Ang Anti-Violence Against Women and Their
Children ay panukalang batas na ipinasa ng Kongreso
noong Pebrero, 2004. Nilalayon ng batas na ito na
tugunan ang laganap na pang-aabuso sa kababaihan ng
kanilang mga intimate partners, kabilang ang dati o
kasalukuyang asawa, live-in partner o boyfriend o
girlfriend. Sa maraming pagkakataon, nadadamay din ang
mga anak ng babae sa pang-aabuso kung kayat ito rin ay
kasamang tinutugunan ng batas.
Ang Anti-VAWC Act o ang Republic Act 9262 ay
pinirmahan ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo noong
Marso, 2004.

Bakit kailangang magkaroon ng

Anti-VAWC Act?
Ang pang-aabuso sa kababaihan ay isang malagim na
realidad sa ating lipunan. Ayon sa Social Weather Stations
Survey noong Nobyembre, 2003, may 21.6M na babae sa
Pilipinas, edad 18 pataas, ang nakaranas o patuloy na
nakakaranas ng pang-aabuso. Ang pang-aabuso ay madalas
ding gawa ng kanilang mga karelasyon.
Madalas tinitingnan ito bilang normal na bahagi ng
babae kapag siya ay pumasok sa isang relasyon o nagkapamilya. Dahil dito, maraming babae ang hindi nagsasalita
tungkol sa pang-aabusong kanilang nararanasan. Wala ring
batas ang angkop na tumutugon sa ibat-ibang klase ng
pang-aabusong kanilang nararanasan bago ang Anti-VAWC
Act.

Sino ang maaring maging biktima ng

VAWC?
Sa ilalim ng batas, babae lamang at ang kanyang
mga anak, (babae man o lalaki) ang maaring maging
biktima ng VAWC. Kinikilala ng Anti-VAWC Act ang
hindi pantay na sitwasyon ng babae at lalaki sa usaping
pang-aabuso sa loob ng isang relasyon, kung saan ang
babae ay higit na dehado.
Sa kabilang banda, maaaring lalaki o babae na dati o
kasalukuyang karelasyon ng babaeng biktimaang mga
maaaring sampahan ng kaso sa ilalim ng batas na ito.

Ang VAWC ay isang krimen.

Ang VAWC ay isang pampublikong krimen kung
kayat bukod sa babaeng nakakaranas ng pang-aabuso,
ang kasong VAWC ay maaari ding isampa ng kanyang
kapamilya, barangay, social worker o concerned citizens.
Dahil din sa ang VAWC ay pampublikong krimen, hindi
dapat ito nireresolba sa pag-aareglo o pamimilit na
makipagkasundo na lamang ang babae sa kanyang
mapang-abusong karelasyon.

Kabilang sa mga aktong VAWC sa

ilalim ng batas ay:
Pisikal: panggugulpi, paninipa, panunutok ng baril
o kahit anumang bagay na nakakasakit
Sekswal: panggagahasa, pamimilit na manood ng xrated na pelikula, pambubugaw ng asawa o anak
Sikolohikal: pamamahiya, paninira ng gamit,
pagkakait sa mga anak
Ekonomik o pinansiyal: hindi pagbibigay ng
suporta, pamimigil sa pagtatrabaho ng babae , pagkuha
o pakontrol ng kita ng babae, paninira ng gamit sa
bahay

Ilan pang mahahalagang tala

tungkol sa VAWC:
Ang pang-aabuso ay maaaring aktwal na
isinagawa o ibinanta sa babae
Ito ay maaaring direktang ginawa sa babae, o sa
kanyang anak, iba pang kapamilya o alaga upang
takutin ang babae
Ito ay maaaring mangyari sa loob o labas ng
bahay

Ano ang parusa sa VAWC?

Ang mga aktong VAWC ay maaaring
parusahan ng pagkabilanggo ng maysala
(depende sa bigat ng krimeng ginawa ang tagal),
at pagbabayad ng danyos ng hindi bababa ng
PhP100,000 ngunit hindi tataas ng PhP300,000.
Kailangan ding sumailalim sa psychological
counseling o psychiatric treatment ang maysala.

Ang Battered Woman Syndrome.

Kinikilala ng Anti-VAWC Act ang matinding epekto ng
pang-aabuso sa kababaihan, lalo na kung matagal na
panahon na nilang nararanasan ito. May mga kaso kung
saan ang matinding galit na tinimpi ng babae ay
humantong sa kanyang pagpatay sa karelasyon dahil ito na
lamang ang nakikita niyang paraan upang makawala sa
pang-aabuso.
Sa ganitong sitwasyon, maaaring gamitin bilang
depensa sa korte ang battered woman syndrome upang
mapawalang-sala ang babae. Ngunit kailangang
mapatunayan muna sa tulong ng psychologist o psychiatrist
ang kanyang pagkakaroon ng battered woman syndrome.

Tungkol sa Alak at Droga.

Hindi maaaring gamiting depensa ang
pagiging lasing o bangag sa droga kung kayat
nagawa ang krimen sa ilalim ng Anti-VAWC
Act.

Protection Order
Sa ilalim ng Anti-VAWC Act, maaaring
bigyan ng protection order ang babae bilang
pansamantala o permanenteng proteksyon laban
sa maaring patuloy na pang-aabuso ng kanyang
karelasyon. Kabilang sa saklaw ng protection
order ay ang sumusunod:

Protection Order
Pagbabawal sa respondent (karelasyong nangaabuso) na gumawa ng kahit anong aktong
VAWC sa babae
Pagbabawal sa respondent na gambalain uli ang
babae (hal: panghaharass sa telepono)
Pagpapaalis sa respondent sa bahay nila ng babae
Pagbabawal lumapit sa babae at sa mga tinukoy
nitong kapamilya o kamag-anak sa kanilang
bahay, opisina, eskwelahan at iba pang lugar na
madalas puntahan ng mga ito

Protection Order
Pagkukumpiska ng korte sa baril at iba pang
deadly weapon ng respondent
Pagbabayad ng respondent sa pinsalang ginawa
nito (hal: gastos sa ospital)
Pagbibigay suporta ng respondent sa babae at
kanilang anak
Pagbibigay ng temporary o permanenteng custody
sa babae ng kanyang mga anak

Mayroon ding tatlong klase ng protection

order sa ilalim ng Anti-VAWC Act:
Barangay protection order (BPO) :
binibigay ng barangay, may bisa ng 15 araw
Temporary protection order (TPO) :
binibigay ng korte, may bisa ng 30 araw

Permanent protection order (PPO) :

binibigay ng korte, may bisa hanggat hindi nagpepetisyon ang babae sa korte na ipawalang bisa ito

Barangay bilang Kaagapay laban sa

VAWC.
Lalong pinagtibay ng bagong batas ang
mahalagang papel na ginagampanan ng barangay
sa pagtugon sa mga kasong VAWC. Bukod sa
pagbibigay ng BPO, ang sumusunod ay tungkulin
ng mga opisyal ng barangay:
Rumesponde agad sa mga reklamo ng VAWC
Magkumpiska ng baril at iba pang deadly weapon
ng nang-aabuso

Barangay bilang Kaagapay laban sa

VAWC.
Samahan ang babae sa ospital o sa isang ligtas na
lugar
Tulungan ang babae mabawi ang kanyang personal
na ari-arian sa bahay
Siguraduhin ang pagpapatupad ng protection order
Arestuhin ang nang-aabuso kahit walang warrant
kung (1) nahuli nila ito sa akto ng pang-aabuso, (2)
sila ay may personal na kaalaman na may naganap
na aktong VAWC, o (3) mayroong panganib sa
buhay ng babae

Barangay bilang Kaagapay laban sa

VAWC.
I-report ang insidente sa Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) o sa mga
accredited NGOs
Ang hindi pagre-report ay may karampatang
multa na PhP10,000, at maaari din silang
masampahan ng kasong kriminal, sibil o
administratibo.

Proteksyon laban sa Demanda

Ang barangay, pulis, concerned citizen na
rumesponde sa kasong VAWC ay hindi maaaring
idemanda para sa kanilang ginawang aksyon,
kahit ito pa man ay naging marahas. Ngunit
dapat patunayan din na ang dahas na kanilang
ginamit ay hindi sumobra sa kung ano ang
kinakailangan upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng
biktima.

Pondo
May karampatang pondo na ilalaan sa ilalim
ng General Appropriations Act upang
maipatupad ang mga probisyon ng Anti-VAWC
Act. Ang pondo para sa mga programa ng mga
LGUs ay kukunin mula sa kanilang Gender and
Development (GAD) Budget na hindi bababa sa
5% ng kanilang Internal Revenue Allocation
(IRA) .

Papel ng Iba Pang Ahensya

Ang ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan ay may
mahalagang bahagi ding ginagampanan sa
pagtugon sa VAWC. Bukod sa mga healthcare
providers na dapat magbigay ng karampatang
aksyon sa babae (kabilang ang libreng medical
certificate) , ang mga ahensya ng gobyerno at lokal
na pamahalaan ay inaatasan din na magtatag ng
mga programang tutugon sa VAWC. Halimbawa
nito ay mga regular na pag-aaral nang mga
empleyado tungkol sa VAWC at pagkakaroon ng
mga information campaign.

Maraming Salamat!
Mabuhay!

Violence Against Women and their

Children is defined by R.A. 9262 as:
a) . any act/acts committed by any PERSON
against:
1. a woman who may be the wife/former
wife, or with whom the abuser has or had a
sexual/dating relationship, or with whom the
abuser has a common child; or
2. The womans child, whether legitimate or
illegitimate.
b) . The acts are committed within or outside the
family residence.

Violence Against Women and their

Children is defined by R.A. 9262 as:
c) . the acts result in physical, sexual, psychological
form harm or suffering, economic abuse, threats of
such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or
deprivation of liberty.

VAWC Acts of VAWC include, but are not

limited to, the following:
a. Physical violence: bodily or physical harm
b. Sexual violence: any act that is sexual in
nature, including but not limited to:
Rape
Sexual harassment
Acts of lasciviousness
Treating the woman or her child as a sex object
Making demeaning and sexually suggestive
remarks

 Physically attacking the sexual parts of the

victims body
Forcing the victim to watch obscene publications
and indecent shows
Forcing the victim to do indecent acts and/or
make films thereof
Forcing the wife and mistress/lover to in the
conjugal home or to sleep together in the same
room with the abuser
Causing or attempting to cause the victim to
engage in any sexual activity, physical or other
harm, coercion or other threats thereof
Prostituting the woman or her child

c) . Psychological violence: acts or omissions

causing mental or emotional suffering of the
victim, such as but not limited to:
Intimidation
Harassment
Stalking
Damage to property
Public ridicule or humiliation
Repeated verbal abuse
Mental infidelity

 Causing or allowing the victim to witness the

physical, sexual or psychological abuse of a family
member
Causing or allowing the victim to witness
pornography in any form
Causing or allowing the victim to witness abusive
injury to pets
Unlawful or unwanted deprivation of the right to
custody and/or visitation of common children

d) . Economic abuse: acts that make a woman

financially dependent, including:
Withdrawal of financial support
Preventing the victim from engaging in any
legitimate profession, occupation, business or
activity
Deprivation of financial resources and the right to
conjugal, community or property owned in common
Destroying household property or controlling the
victims own money or properties.

Battery it is an act of inflicting physical harm

upon the woman or her child resulting to physical
and psychological or emotional distress.

Battered Woman Syndrome it refers

to a pattern of psychological and behavioral
symptoms found in battered women as a result of
a long history of abuse.

Stalking it is an intentional act of a person of

following or placing the woman or her child
under surveillance.

Dating relationship a situation where the

parties :
Live together as husband and wife without the
benefit of marriage, or
Are romantically involved over time and on a
continuing basis during the course of the
relationship

Sexual relations it is a single act which

may not result in the bearing of a common child

Children they are those below eighteen (18)

years of age, or older but are incapable of taking
care of themselves. They include biological
children of the woman-victim and other children
under her care.

Other additional penalties imposed by

this law.
In addition to imprisonment, the abuser shall:
a) . Pay a fine in the amount of not less than
P100,000.00 but not more than P300,000.00: and
b) . Undergo a mandatory psychological
counseling or psychiatric treatment.

The Battered Woman Syndrome

Victim-survivors who are found by the courts
to be suffering from battered woman syndrome
shall not have any civil or criminal liability even
in the absence of any of the elements required for
self-defense under the Revised Penal Code.
The defense that they were under the influence of
alcohol or drugs:
-being under the influence of alcohol, any
illicit drug, or any other mind-altering substances
shall not be a defense for the commission of any
of the crimes constituting violence against women
and children.

Persons who intervene in cases of VAWC

- any person who intervenes in VAWC cases
shall not be held criminally, civilly or
administratively liable for as long as she/he acted
in accordance with law and respondent without
using unnecessary violence in ensuing the safety
of the victim. The person referred to may be a
private individual, a barangay official or a police
authority.

Protection Orders
It is an order to prevent further acts of violence
against a woman or her child and grants other
necessary reliefs. Under the law, there are three
(3) kinds of protection order:
1. Permanent protection order (PPO)
2. Temporary protection order (TPO)
3. Barangay protection order (BPO)
The following may apply for Protection Order:

Protection Orders
1. The offended party
2. Parents or guardians of the offended party
3. Ascendants, descendants or collateral relatives
within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity
or affinity
4. Officers or social workers of the DSWD or
social workers of local government units
5. Police officers, preferably those in charge of
women and childrens desks

Protection Orders

6. Punong barangay or barangay kagawad

7. Lawyer, counselor, therapist or healthcare
provider of the petitioner

Sec. 14. Barangay Protection Orders

(BPOs) ; Who May Issue an How.
-Barangay Protection Orders (BPOs) refer to the
protection order issued by the Punong Barangay
ordering the perpetrator to desist from committing
acts under Section 5 (a) and (b) of this Act. A
Punong Barangay who receives applications for a
BPO shall issue the protection order to the
applicant on the date of filing after ex parte
determination of the basis of the application. If
the Punong Barangay is unavailable to act on the
application for a BPO, the application shall be
acted upon by any available Barangay Kagawad.

If the BPO is issued by a Barangay Kagawad, the

order must be accompanied by an attestation by
the Barangay Kagawad that the Punong
Barangay was unavailable at the time of the
issuance of the BPO. BPOs shall be effective for
fifteen (15) days. Immediately after the issuance
of an ex parte BPO, the Punong Barangay or
Barangay Kagawad shall personally serve a copy
of the same on the respondent, or direct any
barangay official to effect its personal service.
The parties may be accompanied by a nonlawyer advocate in any proceeding before the
Punong Barangay.

Sec. 30. Duties of Barangay Officials

and Law Enforcers.
- Barangay officials and law enforcers shall
have the following duties:
a) . Respond immediately to a call for help or
request for assistance or protection of the victim
by entering the dwelling if necessary whether or
not a protection order has been issued and ensure
the safety of the victim/s;
b) . Confiscate any deadly weapon in the
possession of the perpetrator or within plain
view;

c) . Transport or escort the victim/s to a safe

place of their choice or to a clinic or hospital;
d) . Assist the victim in removing personal
belongings from the house;
e) . Assist the barangay officials and other
government officers and employees who respond
to a call for help;
f) . Ensure the enforcement of the Protection
Orders issued by the Punong Barangay or by the
courts;
g) . Arrest the suspected perpetrator even
without a warrant when any of the acts of
violence defined by this Act is occurring, or

when he/she has personal knowledge that any act

of abuse has just been committed, and there is
imminent danger to the life or limb of the victim
as define in this Act;and
h) . Immediately report the call for assessment
or assistance of the DSWD, Social Welfare
Department of LGUs or accredited nongovernment organizations (NGOs).
Any barangay official or law enforcer
who fails to report the incident shall be liable for
a fine not exceeding Ten Thousand Pesos
(P10,000.00) or whenever applicable criminal,
civil or administrative liability.

Sec. 33. Prohibited Acts.

- A Punong Barangay, Barangay Kagawad or
the court hearing on application for a protection
order shall not order, direct, force or in any way
unduly influence the applicant for a protection
order to compromise or abandon any of the reliefs
sought in the application for protection order under
this Act. Section 7 of the Family Courts Act of
1997 and Sections 410, 411, 412 and 413 of the
Local Government Code of 1991 shall not apply in
proceedings where relief is sought under this Act.

Sec. 33. Prohibited Acts.

Failure to comply with this Section shall

render the official or judge administratively
liable.

Section 47. Duties and Functions of

Brgy. Officials
In order to eliminate violence against women
and their children, barangay officials shall:
a) . Undertake an education program on
Republic Act no. 9262 and on violence against
women and their children and why it exists, the
rights and remedies of victim-survivors, and the
duties of residents and all barangay officials;
b) . Have a family violence prevention
program, including peer counseling for men;

c ). Support organizing efforts and development

programs for women in the community;
d) . Prioritize livelihood for victim-survivors;
e) . Involve women in planning and
implementation of all programs and projects in the
barangay;
f) . Have an Anti-VAWC desk officer in the
barangay who shall coordinate a one-stop help
desk. As much as possible, this help shall be open
for 24 hours;
g) . Ensure that all barangay officials,
barangay health workers, barangay nutrition
scholars, other barangay workers and tanod or

barangay security officers undergo gender

sensitivity seminars to enable them to respond to
victims of violence;
h) . Develop a system to document and report
cases of VAWC and assistance program to
victims thereof; and
i) . If applicable/necessary, prescribe
additional guidelines and standards provided
that these are consistent with the Act.