Accomplice: Meaning
Quick answer
An accomplice is a person who helps commit a crime by acts done before or during it, but who is not a principal. Article 18 of the Revised Penal Code defines accomplices by leaving out everyone Article 17 already treats as a principal. For a consummated felony, an accomplice gets the penalty one degree lower than the principal's.
Also called: Accomplice to a crime
What does Article 18 say?
Accomplices are those persons who, not being included in article 17, cooperate in the execution of the offense by previous or simultaneous acts.
Two points follow from the text:
- Not a principal. The person must not fall under any of the three kinds of principals in Article 17.
- Help before or during the crime. The cooperation is by "previous or simultaneous acts". Help given only after the crime is the role of an accessory.
How is an accomplice different from a principal?
Article 17 makes three kinds of people principals: those who take a direct part in the act, those who directly force or induce others to commit it, and those who cooperate by an act without which the crime would not have been accomplished. An accomplice also cooperates, but his act is not one without which the crime would have failed. See principal of a crime.
What penalty does an accomplice get?
The penalty next lower in degree than that prescribed by law for the consummated felony shall be imposed upon the accomplices in the commission of a consummated felony.
| Participant | Penalty for a consummated felony | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Principal | The penalty prescribed by law for the felony | 46 |
| Accomplice | The penalty next lower in degree | 52 |
| Accessory | The penalty lower by two degrees | 53 |
Article 16 also says accomplices are liable for light felonies, while accessories are not.
How does conspiracy change things?
Article 8 defines a conspiracy: two or more persons agree to commit a felony and decide to commit it. Article 18 does not mention conspiracy. Whether several people acted under an agreement, and what role each one had, is decided by the court on the evidence.
Example
Made-up illustration: Dante plans to break into a store at night. Glen agrees to stand outside and watch the street while Dante goes in. The break-in could have been done without a lookout. Glen helped by a simultaneous act that was not indispensable, so his role may fit Article 18. If the court finds that the two of them agreed to commit the crime together, it may treat the case differently. The court decides on the facts.
See also the comparison principal vs accomplice vs accessory.
Which provisions use this term?
Frequently asked questions
What is an accomplice under the Revised Penal Code?
Article 18 says accomplices are persons who, not being included in Article 17 as principals, cooperate in the execution of the offense by previous or simultaneous acts.
What is the difference between a principal and an accomplice?
A principal takes a direct part in the act, directly forces or induces another to commit it, or does an act without which the crime would not have been accomplished (Article 17). An accomplice helps before or during the crime, but his help does not fit any of those three kinds.
What is the penalty for an accomplice?
For a consummated felony, Article 52 imposes on accomplices the penalty next lower in degree than the one prescribed by law for the felony.
Is an accomplice liable for a light felony?
Yes. Article 16 lists principals and accomplices as criminally liable for light felonies. Accessories are not.
What is the difference between an accomplice and an accessory?
An accomplice acts before or during the crime. An accessory acts only after the crime, knowing it was committed, in one of the ways listed in Article 19.
General information, not legal advice. For your case, ask a lawyer, the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) or the agency.
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