Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 1) — President Rodrigo Duterte has amended a decades-old law to finally update the amount of fines imposed on several crimes, including those against national security.
Malacañang on Thursday released a copy of Republic Act 10951, amending articles of the 87-year-old Revised Penal Code (RPC) or RA 3815. Duterte signed the law on Tuesday.
Treason, or betraying the country by levying war against it or helping its enemies, is now punishable by reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to P4 million, and death — should the death penalty bill be passed into law.
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This crime against national security only had a penalty of reclusion temporal or up to 20-year imprisonment to death, and a fine not exceeding P20,000 under the previous law.
While coup plotters still face an imprisonment of up to six years and one day, the fine for “conspiracy and proposal to commit coup d’etat” is now up to P1 million, from a previous of P8,000 and below.
Those convicted of rebellion will now be fined up to P400,000, previously P5,000. They will face up to six years of imprisonment, consistent with the old RPC.
Heavier fines for erring public officials
Erring public officials also face stiffer fines and penalties under the new law.
Authorities who “maliciously” obtain a search warrant through abuse of their power will be fined up to P200,000, from a previous P1,000.
Those found guilty of “maltreatment of prisoners” will now suffer up to eight years in prison. Under the old law, they would be jailed for only up to two years and four months.
The new law does not only impose heavier fines on criminals, it also increases amounts used as basis for penalizing certain crimes.
Under the old law for instance, public officials are sentenced up to 40 years in prison if found guilty of malversation of government funds or property amounting to P22,000.
Under the new law the penalty is reduced to prision correccional or six months to one day to six years of imprisonment.
Law to benefit inmates
Senator Franklin Drilon, sponsor and author of Senate Bill No. 14 which proposed the amendments to the RPC, earlier said the law will benefit over 54,000 “mostly poor” inmates who have been sentenced based on outdated standards set by an “archaic law.”
“Not that they will be immediately released, but their sentences will be equitably reduced, corresponding to today’s value of the property stolen, not the values set in 1930,” he said in a news release.
He cited as example those who committed estafa or swindling of P250 whose prison terms will be reduced to four months, from up to two years and four months under the old law.
