House to repeal 'outdated' Revised Penal Code

Seeking to make the country’s criminal code more "simplified and responsive," Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. on Tuesday presented House Bill 2300 or Book One of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Other than Tupas, who is chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. and Justice Secretary Leila de Lima endorsed the enactment of a new Philippine Code of Crimes, envisioned to totally replace the RPC.

Key features of the bill include the expansion of jurisdiction of laws to include transnational crimes, and the lowering of the minimum age of criminal liability to 13 years old. In his presentation, Tupas called the existing RPC “outdated and archaic.”

In the bill’s explanatory note, Tupas also said the RPCA, which was enacted in 1932, “contains antiquated provisions and deals with crimes that are now irrelevant to and fails to address current situations” while providing obsolete penalties. Tupas said he hopes the proposed measures will be passed by 2015.

Belmonte lauded the two-year efforts of the team involved in putting together the proposed legislation, saying it will update how justice is served in the country.

“Everyone will agree that the Revised Penal Code, as it is written, is no longer relevant given the modern-day changes in our moral perspectives, our constitutional provisions as an independent Republic, and in light of contemporary scientific and technical reforms,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte also agreed with Tupas’ assessment that the RPC as it is today is outdated.

“For instance, theft of P1,000 in 1932 should theoretically be punished more heavily than theft of P1,000 today, and the penalties prescribed in the Revised Penal Code reflect this reality,” Belmonte said in his speech.

Belmonte in particular singled out the provision that will allow the country to prosecute transnational crimes against Pinoys.

“For one, the growing transnational nature of crimes such as human and drug trafficking pose a significant challenge that must be dealt with. Moreover, our Overseas Filipino Workers who we have repeatedly dubbed as saviors of our nation’s economy must be afforded greater legal protection that they deserve,” Belmonte said.

For her part, De Lima stressed the need to have a system of laws that would promote fairness and equality to make our laws coherent, rational and comprehensive, while appealing to Congress to pass the proposed measures.

In addition to lowering the minimum age of criminal liability and the inclusion of transnational crimes, the proposed measure also removes Latin and Spanish terms in the penalties provided in the RPC. In its place will be tables  with a new scale of penalties ranging from Level 1 to Level 5 and life imprisonment.

Fines will also be based on the capacity to pay of the accused or respondent, rather than being based on fixed amounts. — BM, GMA News