Robin Padilla bill seeks to outlaw use of fake addresses in preliminary probes

Senator Robinhood “Robin” Padilla has filed a bill seeking to criminalize the deliberate use of false addresses to prevent respondents from participating in preliminary investigations.

Under Senate Bill No. 1957, anyone who deliberately provides a false address to allow a preliminary investigation to proceed without the respondent may face six months to two years in prison and a fine of ₱100,000 to ₱300,000.

Padilla said the proposed measure seeks to protect individuals from malicious or oppressive prosecution, noting that while a preliminary investigation is not a trial, it already subjects a respondent to public accusations of a crime, as well as the trouble, expense, anxiety and moral suffering associated with criminal prosecution.

“Every Filipino has the right to be given the opportunity to know and answer the allegations against them. A false address should not be used as a means to conduct a preliminary investigation without giving the respondent the opportunity to appear and respond,” Padilla said in Filipino.

Padilla cited the 1987 Constitution’s guarantee of due process, which requires that procedures established by law and applicable rules be followed before a person may be deprived of life, liberty or property.

He said the proposed penalty would also help prevent the justice system’s resources from being wasted on cases that may be improperly pursued.

“It is not only the respondent who is wronged when a false address is deliberately used. The time and resources of our justice system are also wasted. Anyone who deliberately does this to circumvent the proper process should be held accountable,” Padilla said.

The bill emphasizes that a preliminary investigation is intended to determine whether there is sufficient ground to believe that a crime has been committed and that the respondent is probably guilty and should be held for trial.

Padilla said SBN 1957 ultimately seeks to strengthen safeguards against malicious and oppressive prosecution while protecting the integrity of the preliminary investigation process. — MCG, GMA News