The Revised Penal Code of the Philippines
Act No. 3815
Which provisions are explained in plain language?
Book 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS REGARDING THE DATE OF ENFORCEMENT AND APPLICATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CODE, AND REGARDING THE OFFENSES, THE PERSONS LIABLE AND THE PENALTIES
Title 1: FELONIES AND CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH AFFECT CRIMINAL LIABILITY
Chapter 1: FELONIES
- Article 4: Criminal liability and impossible crimesCriminal liability shall be incurred: 1. By any person committing a felony (delito) although the wrongful act done be different from that…
- Article 6: Consummated, frustrated and attempted feloniesConsummated felonies, as well as those which are frustrated and attempted, are punishable. A felony is consummated when all the elements…
- Article 8: Conspiracy and proposalConspiracy and proposal to commit felony are punishable only in the cases in which the law specially provides a penalty therefor. A…
Chapter 2: JUSTIFYING CIRCUMSTANCES AND CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH EXEMPT FROM CRIMINAL LIABILITY
Chapter 4: CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH AGGRAVATE CRIMINAL LIABILITY
Title 2: PERSONS CRIMINALLY LIABLE FOR FELONIES
- Article 17: PrincipalsThe following are considered principals: 1. Those who take a direct part in the execution of the act; 2. Those who directly force or…
- Article 19: AccessoriesAccessories are those who, having knowledge of the commission of the crime, and without having participated therein, either as principals…
Title 3: PENALTIES
Chapter 3: DURATION AND EFFECT OF PENALTIES
Section 1: Duration of Penalties
- Article 27: Duration of penaltiesAmendedThe penalty of reclusion perpetua shall be from twenty years and one day to forty years. Reclusion temporal. - The penalty of reclusion…
- Article 29: Preventive imprisonment creditedAmendedOffenders or accused who have undergone preventive imprisonment shall be credited in the service of their sentence consisting of…
Section 2: Effects of the penalties according to their respective nature
Chapter 4: APPLICATION OF PENALTIES
Section 1: Rules for the application of penalties to the persons criminally liable, criminally liable and for the graduation of the same
Chapter 5: EXECUTION AND SERVICE OF PENALTIES
Title 4: EXTINCTION OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY
Chapter 1: Total extinction of criminal liability
- Article 89: How criminal liability is totally extinguishedCriminal liability is totally extinguished: 1. By the death of the convict, as to the personal penalties; and as to pecuniary penalties,…
- Article 90: Prescription of crimesAmendedCrimes punishable by death, reclusion perpetua or reclusion temporal shall prescribe in twenty years. Crimes punishable by other…
Chapter 2: Partial extinction of criminal liability
Title 5: CIVIL LIABILITY
Chapter 1: PERSONS CIVILLY LIABLE FOR FELONIES
Book 2: CRIMES AND PENALTIES
Title 2: CRIMES AGAINST THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF THE STATE
Chapter 1: ARBITRARY DETENTION OR EXPULSION, VIOLATION OF DWELLING, PROHIBITION, INTERRUPTION, AND DISSOLUTION OF PEACEFUL MEETINGS AND CRIMES AGAINST RELIGIOUS WORSHIP.
Title 3: CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC ORDER
Chapter 4: ASSAULT UPON, AND RESISTANCE AND DISOBEDIENCE TO PERSONS IN AUTHORITY AND THEIR AGENTS
- Article 148: Direct assaultsAmendedAny person or person who, without a public uprising, shall employ force or intimidation for the attainment of any of the purposes…
- Article 151: Resistance and disobedienceAmendedThe penalty of arresto mayor and a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100, 000) shall be imposed upon any person who not…
Title 4: CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC INTEREST
Chapter 1: FORGERIES
Section 4: Falsification of legislative, public, commercial, and private documents, and wireless, telegraph, and telephone messages
Chapter 2: OTHER FALSITIES
Title 8: CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS
Chapter 1: DESTRUCTION OF LIFE
Section 1: Parricide, murder, homicide
- Article 246: ParricideAmendedAny person who shall kill his father, mother, or child, whether legitimate or illegitimate, or any of his ascendants, or descendants, or…
- Article 248: MurderAmendedAny person who, not falling within the provisions of Article 246 shall kill another, shall be guilty of murder and shall be punished by…
- Article 249: HomicideAny person who, not falling within the provisions of article 246 shall kill another without the attendance of any of the circumstances…
- Article 254: Discharge of firearmsAmended(a) Any person who shall shoot at another with any firearm shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in its minimum and medium…
Chapter 2: PHYSICAL INJURIES
- Article 263: Serious physical injuriesAny person who shall wound, beat, or assault another, shall be guilty of the crime of serious physical injuries and shall suffer: 1. The…
- Article 265: Less serious physical injuriesAmendedAny person who shall inflict upon another physical injuries not described in the preceding articles, but which shall incapacitate the…
- Article 266: Slight physical injuries and maltreatmentAmendedThe crime of slight physical injuries shall be punished: 1. By arresto menor when the offender has inflicted physical injuries which shall…
Title 9: CRIMES AGAINST PERSONAL LIBERTY AND SECURITY
Chapter 1: CRIMES AGAINST LIBERTY
Chapter 2: CRIMES AGAINST SECURITY
Section 2: Trespass to dwelling
- Article 280: Qualified trespass to dwellingAmendedAny private person who shall enter the dwelling of another against the latter's will, shall be punished by arresto mayor and a fine not…
- Article 281: Other forms of trespassAmendedThe penalty of arresto menor or a fine not exceeding- Forty thousand pesos (P40,000), or both, shall be imposed upon any person who shall…
Section 3: Threats and coercion
- Article 282: Grave threatsAmendedAny person who shall threaten another with the infliction upon the person, honor or property of the latter or of his family of any wrong…
- Article 283: Light threatsA threat to commit a wrong not constituting a crime, made in the manner expressed in subdivision 1 of the next preceding article, shall be…
- Article 285: Other light threatsAmendedThe penalty of arresto menor in its minimum period or a fine not exceeding Forty thousand pesos (P40,000) shall be imposed upon: 1. Any…
- Article 286: Grave coercionsAmendedThe penalty of prision correccional and a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) shall be imposed upon any person who…
- Article 287: Light coercions and unjust vexationAmendedAny person who,, by means of violence, shall seize anything belonging to his debtor for the purpose of applying the same to the payment of…
Title 10: CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY
Chapter 1: ROBBERY IN GENERAL
Section 1: Robbery with violence against or intimidation of persons
Section 2: Robbery by the use of force upon things
Chapter 2: BRIGANDAGE
- Article 308: Who are liable for theftTheft is committed by any person who, with intent to gain but without violence against or intimidation of persons nor force upon things,…
- Article 309: Penalties for theft by amountAmendedAny person guilty of theft shall be punished by: 1. The penalty of prision mayor in its minimum and medium periods, if the value of the…
- Article 310: Qualified theftAmendedThe crime of theft shall be punished by the penalties next higher by two degrees than those respectively specified in the next preceding…
Chapter 6: SWINDLING AND OTHER DECEITS
- Article 315: Swindling (estafa)AmendedAny person who shall defraud another by any of the means mentioned herein below shall be punished by: 1st. The penalty of prision…
- Article 316: Other forms of swindlingThe penalty of arresto mayor in its minimum and medium periods and a fine of not less than the value of the damage caused and not more…
- Article 318: Other deceitsAmendedThe penalty of arresto mayor and a fine of not less than the amount of the damage caused and not more than twice such amount, shall be…
Chapter 9: MALICIOUS MISCHIEF
- Article 327: Who are liable for malicious mischiefAny person who shall deliberately cause to the property of another any damage not falling within the terms of the next preceding chapter…
- Article 329: Other mischiefs: penalties by valueAmendedThe mischiefs not included in the next preceding article shall be punished: 1. By arresto mayor in its medium and maximum periods, if the…
Chapter 10: EXEMPTION FROM CRIMINAL LIABILITY IN CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY
Title 11: CRIMES AGAINST CHASTITY
Chapter 1: ADULTERY AND CONCUBINAGE
- Article 333: AdulteryAdultery is committed by any married woman who shall have sexual inter-course with a man not her husband and by the man who has carnal…
- Article 334: ConcubinageAny husband who shall keep a mistress in the conjugal dwelling, or, shall have sexual intercourse, under scandalous circumstances, with a…
Title 12: CRIMES AGAINST THE CIVIL STATUS OF PERSONS
Title 13: CRIMES AGAINST HONOR
Chapter 1: LIBEL
Section 1: Definition, forms and punishment of this crime
- Article 353: Definition of libelA libel is a public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition,…
- Article 354: Malice is presumed (requirement for publicity)Every defamatory imputation is presumed to be malicious, even if it be true, if no good intention and justifiable motive for making it is…
- Article 355: Penalty for libel in writing and similar meansAmendedA libel committed by means of writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, theatrical exhibition.,…
- Article 356: Threatening to publish for moneyAmendedThe penalty of arresto mayor or a fine from Forty thousand pesos (P40,000) to Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000), or both, shall be…
- Article 358: Slander (oral defamation)AmendedOral defamation shall be punished by arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period if it is of a…
- Article 359: Slander by deedAmendedThe penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period or a fine ranging from Twenty thousand…
Chapter 2: INCRIMINATORY MACHINATIONS
- Article 363: Incriminating an innocent personAny person who, by any act not constituting perjury, shall directly incriminate or impute to an innocent person the commission of a crime,…
- Article 364: Intriguing against honorAmendedThe penalty of arresto menor or fine not exceeding Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000) shall be imposed for any intrigue which has for its…
What questions about the Revised Penal Code are answered here?
- Acts of Lasciviousness: Meaning and PenaltyActs of lasciviousness under Article 336: what the crime means, the prision correccional penalty, and when RA 7610 applies because the victim is a child.
- Adultery and Concubinage: What Must Be Proved and the PenaltiesAdultery and concubinage under the Revised Penal Code: what must be proved for each, the penalties, who may file the complaint, and how pardon affects it.
- Affidavit of Desistance: Does It End a Criminal Case?What the Supreme Court says about affidavits of desistance: why courts view them with disfavor and why one signed after conviction gets little weight.
- Alarms and Scandals: Is a Noisy Drunk Neighbor a Crime?Alarms and scandals under Article 155: the four acts it punishes, the penalty of arresto menor or a fine up to ₱40,000, and why gunfire is now Article 254.
- When Can Police Arrest You Without a Warrant?Police or a private person may arrest without a warrant only in three cases under Rule 113. See what they are, what Veridiano v. People says about tips.
- Blackmail: Threatening to Expose Someone Unless PaidBlackmail is not a term in the Revised Penal Code, but Articles 282 and 356 and RA 9995 punish threats to expose someone for money. See the penalties.
- Caught Shoplifting Before Leaving the Store: Is It Already Theft?Is there frustrated theft in the Philippines? No. In Valenzuela v. People, the Supreme Court held that theft is complete once the thief takes possession.
- Community Service Instead of Jail: Who Can Ask for ItCommunity service under Article 88-A (RA 11362): which penalties qualify, what the court decides, what happens on a violation, and why it is allowed once.
- How Much Are the Damages for Murder or Homicide? (People v. Jugueta)Damages for the heirs in murder and homicide cases under People v. Jugueta: civil indemnity, moral, exemplary and temperate damages, and 6% interest.
- Direct Assault: Attacking a Police Officer, Teacher or OfficialDirect assault under Article 148 RPC: what it means, who counts as a person in authority, the penalty after RA 10951, and when it is only resistance.
- Does a Criminal Case End If the Accused Dies?When the accused dies before final judgment, criminal liability ends under Article 89 RPC. See what Bayotas and Rule 111 say about damages and the estate.
- Estafa in the Philippines: Elements and PenaltyWhat is the penalty for estafa in the Philippines? The RA 10951 amounts, the prison range of each bracket, the elements, and when a debt is not estafa.
- Falsely Accused of a Crime: What the Law SaysFalse accusations under Philippine law: planting evidence under Article 363, perjury under Article 183, and civil damages for malicious prosecution.
- Falsification of Documents: Penalties for Fake PapersFalsification of documents under Articles 171 and 172: the acts that count, penalties for public officers and private persons, and using a fake document.
- GCTA: How Good Conduct Time Allowance Is ComputedGCTA deducts 20 to 30 days per month of good behavior, plus 15 days for study or teaching. See the RA 10592 rates, who grants them and the key rulings.
- Grave Coercion: When Forcing Someone Becomes a CrimeGrave coercion under Article 286: forcing or stopping someone by violence, threats or intimidation, the penalty, and how it differs from light coercion.
- Grave Threats: What If Someone Threatens to Kill You?Grave threats, light threats and other light threats under the RPC: the Supreme Court test, the penalties, and what a threat to kill you means in law.
- How Long Can Police Detain You Without Charges? (12, 18, 36 Hours)Under Article 125, police must deliver a detained person to the proper judicial authorities within 12, 18 or 36 hours, depending on the penalty. See how.
- How Much Is Bail in the Philippines and How Is It Computed?The judge fixes bail in each case. See the DOJ formula prosecutors use, the factors the court weighs, where to pay cash bail and when the money comes back.
- Someone Took Over Your Land by Force: Is It a Crime?Taking over land by violence or intimidation is usurpation under Article 312 RPC. See its requisites, the fine, and the civil case for forcible entry.
- Spreading Gossip: When It Becomes a CrimeSpreading gossip can be intriguing against honor under Article 364 RPC. See what the article requires, the penalty, and how it differs from slander.
- Is Being Drunk a Defense to a Crime?Being drunk does not excuse a crime. Under Article 15 RPC, proven intoxication can lower or raise the penalty. See what the 2025 Ilayat ruling requires.
- Is Hiding a Relative Who Committed a Crime Also a Crime?Close relatives are exempt from the penalties for accessories under Article 20 RPC, with one exception, but PD 1829 on harboring has no such exemption.
- Is Time in Jail Before Conviction Deducted From the Sentence?Preventive imprisonment under Article 29 (RA 10592): full or four-fifths credit, who is excluded, and release once detention reaches the maximum penalty.
- Is Murder Bailable in the Philippines?Murder is not bailable when the evidence of guilt is strong. See how a bail hearing works, who must prove what, and why homicide is bailable as a right.
- Is Opening Someone Else's Letters a Crime?Seizing someone's letters or papers to learn their secrets is a crime under Article 290 RPC. See the penalties and why parents and spouses are not covered.
- Is Truth a Defense in Libel?Truth may not be enough in Philippine libel: Article 361 also requires good motives and justifiable ends. For public figures, actual malice must be proved.
- Kidnapping and Illegal Detention: PenaltiesKidnapping and serious illegal detention under Article 267, slight illegal detention under Article 268, ransom cases, and the penalty imposed today.
- Libel in the Philippines: Elements, Penalty and Deadline to FileLibel under Article 353: the four elements, when malice is presumed, the penalty of prison or a ₱40,000 to ₱1,200,000 fine, and the one-year deadline.
- Malicious Mischief: Penalty for Damaging Someone's PropertyMalicious mischief is deliberate damage to another person's property. See the RA 10951 penalties by value of damage, the special cases and careless damage.
- Oral Defamation (Slander): Is Shouting Insults a Crime?Oral defamation (slander) under Article 358: when insults are a crime, serious vs slight slander, the penalty, slander by deed, and the six-month deadline.
- Parricide: What It Is and the PenaltyParricide under Article 246: killing a parent, child, other ascendant or descendant, or spouse; the penalty today; and how it differs from murder.
- Perjury: Lying Under Oath and Its PenaltyPerjury under Article 183 as amended by RA 11594: the elements, what a material matter is, the prison term, the fine and the ban from government posts.
- Physical Injuries: Serious, Less Serious or Slight? PenaltiesSlight, less serious or serious physical injuries: how days of incapacity or medical attendance decide the crime, and the penalty for each under the RPC.
- How Many Years Before a Criminal Case Prescribes?How long to file a criminal case in the Philippines: the Article 90 periods, when the count starts and stops, and why BP 22 cases have four years.
- Who Can Apply for Probation in the Philippines?Probation must be asked for within the appeal period, and filing waives the appeal. See who is disqualified and what changed with RA 10707 after an appeal.
- What Is Qualified Theft? Penalty for Kasambahay and EmployeesQualified theft is theft with a circumstance in Article 310, such as theft by a kasambahay. The penalty is two degrees higher than ordinary theft.
- Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide, Injuries or Damage: PenaltyPenalties for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, physical injuries or damage to property under Article 365, the one-case rule and the damages owed.
- Can I Be Released Without Bail? Release on RecognizanceToo poor to post bail? RA 10389 allows release on recognizance to a custodian. See who qualifies, the documents needed, and who is disqualified.
- Resisting or Disobeying a Police Officer: Is It a Crime?Resisting or seriously disobeying a police officer under Article 151 RPC: the elements, the penalty after RA 10951, and how it differs from direct assault.
- Robbery in the Philippines: Kinds and PenaltiesRobbery under the Revised Penal Code: what makes taking property robbery, the penalties for violence or intimidation, and for breaking into a house.
- Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Is It Legal?Self-defense under Article 11 needs unlawful aggression, reasonable means and no provocation. See how courts test it, and defending relatives or strangers.
- Slander by Deed: When a Slap or Gesture Is a CrimeSlander by deed under Article 359: an act that dishonors another person, the penalties and fines after RA 10951, and the six months to file a case.
- What Happens If You Cannot Pay a Court Fine?Subsidiary imprisonment under Article 39: jail time for a convict who cannot pay a fine, how the days are counted, the limits, and why the fine stays due.
- Can You File Theft or Estafa Against a Family Member?Theft, estafa or malicious mischief between close relatives brings only civil liability under Article 332 RPC. See who is covered and the limits.
- What Is the Penalty for Theft in the Philippines?The penalty for theft in the Philippines depends on the value stolen. See the RA 10951 brackets, when keeping a lost item is theft, and theft vs robbery.
- Trespass to Dwelling in the Philippines: When Entering Is a CrimeEntering another person's home against his or her will is trespass to dwelling. See the RA 10951 penalty, the exceptions, and trespass on fenced land.
- Unjust Vexation in the Philippines: Meaning and PenaltyUnjust vexation under Article 287: what it means, examples, the penalty of arresto menor or a ₱1,000 to ₱40,000 fine, and the two-month deadline to file.
- Firing a Gun on New Year's Eve: What Is the Penalty?Firing a gun into the air is a crime under Article 254 as amended by RA 11926: 4 months and 1 day to 6 months, a cancelled gun license, and a lifetime ban.
General information, not legal advice. For your case, ask a lawyer, the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) or the agency.
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