Hayden Kho, Katrina Halili, Robin Padilla and the Pet Goldfish

Posted on June 18, 2009 by Hector M. de Leon Jr After a heated argument w th h s !regnant w fe, the rate husband f"ushes the w fe#s !et go"df sh nto go"df sh hea$en %or he""&. 'he w fe cr es fou" and c"a ms substant a" emot ona" and !sycho"og ca" stress o$er the death of her !et go"df sh. After a!!ro!r ate !roceed ngs, the court sentences the husband to m!r sonment of 10 years and 1 day. (ome may th n) that m!r sonment of 10 years and 1 day for ) "" ng a go"df sh and caus ng !sycho"og ca" stress to the w fe may be a b t se$ere and that such !ena"ty for such ty!e of offense w "" " )e"y be found n tota" tar an states. *e" e$e t or not, the abo$e scenar o can ha!!en n the Ph " !! nes. Here s where the stor es of Hayden +ho, +atr na Ha" " , ,ob n Pad ""a and the !et go"df sh become ntertw ned. -nder ,e!ub" c Act .o. 92/2, otherw se )nown as the 0Ant 12 o"ence Aga nst 3omen and 'he r 4h "dren Act of 20056, a husband %or for that matter, a boyfr end& may be m!r soned for 0destroy ng the !ro!erty and !ersona" be"ong ngs or nf" ct ng harm to an ma"s or !ets of the woman or her ch "d7. 'he !ena"ty m!osed by the Act s prison mayor %wh ch ranges from / years, 1 day to 12 years&. 'he Act s the same "aw that the .at ona" *ureau of 8n$est gat on %.*8& s charg ng Hayden +ho of $ o"at ng n connect on w th the record ng of the se9 $ deo of +ho and +atr na Ha" " . (!ec f ca""y, the .*8 recommended the f " ng of charges aga nst +ho for $ o"at on of (ect ons :%h& and % & of the Act. (ect on : !ro$ des; (<4'8=. :. Acts of 2 o"ence Aga nst 3omen and 'he r 4h "dren. > 'he cr me of $ o"ence aga nst women and the r ch "dren s comm tted through any of the fo""ow ng acts; %a& %b& %c& %d& 4aus ng !hys ca" harm to the woman or her ch "d? 'hreaten ng to cause the woman or her ch "d !hys ca" harm? Attem!t ng to cause the woman or her ch "d !hys ca" harm? P"ac ng the woman or her ch "d n fear of mm nent !hys ca" harm?

%e& Attem!t ng to com!e" or com!e"" ng the woman or her ch "d to engage n conduct wh ch the woman or her ch "d has the r ght to des st from or to des st from conduct wh ch the woman or her ch "d has the r ght to engage n, or attem!t ng to restr ct or restr ct ng the woman#s or her ch "d#s freedom of mo$ement or conduct by force or threat of force, !hys ca" or other harm or threat of !hys ca" or other harm, or nt m dat on d rected aga nst the woman or ch "d. 'h s sha"" nc"ude, but not " m ted to, the fo""ow ng acts comm tted w th the !ur!ose or effect of contro"" ng or restr ct ng the woman#s or her ch "d#s mo$ement or conduct;

%1& 'hreaten ng to de!r $e or actua""y de!r $ ng the woman or her ch "d of custody or access to her@h s fam "y? %2& Ae!r $ ng or threaten ng to de!r $e the woman or her ch "dren of f nanc a" su!!ort "ega""y due her or her fam "y, or de" berate"y !ro$ d ng the woman#s ch "dren nsuff c ent f nanc a" su!!ort? %B& Ae!r $ ng or threaten ng to de!r $e the woman or her ch "d of a "ega" r ght?

%5& Pre$ent ng the woman n engag ng n any "eg t mate !rofess on, occu!at on, bus ness or act $ ty or contro"" ng the $ ct m#s own money or !ro!ert es, or so"e"y contro"" ng the conCuga" or common money, or !ro!ert es? %f& 8nf" ct ng or threaten ng to nf" ct !hys ca" harm on onese"f for the !ur!ose of contro"" ng her act ons or dec s ons? %g& 4aus ng or attem!t ng to cause the woman or her ch "d to engage n any se9ua" act $ ty wh ch does not const tute ra!e, by force or threat of force, !hys ca" harm, or through nt m dat on d rected aga nst the woman or her ch "d or her@h s mmed ate fam "y? %h& <ngag ng n !ur!osefu", )now ng, or rec)"ess conduct, !ersona""y or through another, that a"arms or causes substant a" emot ona" or !sycho"og ca" d stress to the woman or her ch "d. 'h s sha"" nc"ude, but not be " m ted to, the fo""ow ng acts; %1& %2& (ta") ng or fo""ow ng the woman or her ch "d n !ub" c or !r $ate !"aces? Peer ng n the w ndow or " nger ng outs de the res dence of the woman or her ch "d?

%B& <nter ng or rema n ng n the dwe"" ng or on the !ro!erty of the woman or her ch "d aga nst her@h s w ""? %5& Aestroy ng the !ro!erty and !ersona" be"ong ngs or nf" ct ng harm to an ma"s or !ets of the woman or her ch "d? and %:& <ngag ng n any form of harassment or $ o"ence?

% & 4aus ng menta" or emot ona" angu sh, !ub" c r d cu"e or hum " at on to the woman or her ch "d, nc"ud ng, but not " m ted to, re!eated $erba" and emot ona" abuse, and den a" of f nanc a" su!!ort or custody of m nor ch "dren or den a" of access to the woman#s ch "d@ch "dren. (ect on / of the Act !ro$ des the !ena"t es for comm tt ng the offenses descr bed n (ect on :; (<4'8=. /. Pena"t es. > 'he cr me of $ o"ence aga nst women and the r ch "dren, under (ect on : hereof sha"" be !un shed accord ng to the fo""ow ng ru"es;

%a& Acts fa"" ng under (ect on :%a& const tut ng attem!ted, frustrated or consummated !arr c de or murder or hom c de sha"" be !un shed n accordance w th the !ro$ s ons of the ,e$ sed Pena" 4ode. 8f these acts resu"ted n mut "at on, t sha"" be !un shab"e n accordance w th the ,e$ sed Pena" 4ode? those const tut ng ser ous !hys ca" nCur es sha"" ha$e the !ena"ty of prision mayor? those const tut ng "ess ser ous !hys ca" nCur es sha"" be !un shed by !rision correccional? and those const tut ng s" ght !hys ca" nCur es sha"" be !un shed by arresto mayor. Acts fa"" ng under (ect on :%b& sha"" be !un shed by m!r sonment of two %2& degrees "ower than the !rescr bed !ena"ty for the consummated cr me as s!ec f ed n the !reced ng !aragra!h but sha"" n no case be "ower than arresto mayor. %b& %c& %d& %e& %f& Acts fa"" ng under (ect on :%c& and :%d& sha"" be !un shed by arresto mayor? Acts fa"" ng under (ect on :%e& sha"" be !un shed by prision correccional? Acts fa"" ng under (ect on :%f& sha"" be !un shed by arresto mayor? Acts fa"" ng under (ect on :%g& sha"" be !un shed by prision mayor; Acts fa"" ng under (ect on :%h& and (ect on :% & sha"" be !un shed by prision mayor.

8f the acts are comm tted wh "e the woman or ch "d s !regnant or comm tted n the !resence of her ch "d, the !ena"ty to be a!!" ed sha"" be the ma9 mum !er od of !ena"ty !rescr bed n the sect on. 8n add t on to m!r sonment, the !er!etrator sha"" %a& !ay a f ne n the amount of not "ess than =ne hundred thousand !esos %P100,000.00& but not more than 'hree hundred thousand !esos %PB00,000.00&? %b& undergo mandatory !sycho"og ca" counse" ng or !sych atr c treatment and sha"" re!ort com!" ance to the court. -nder the ,e$ sed Pena" 4ode, arresto mayor ranges from 1 month and 1 day to / months wh "e prision correcional ranges from / months, 1 day to / years. As ment oned ear" er, prision mayor ranges from / years, 1 day to 12 years. 2 o"ence aga nst women and ch "dren shou"d certa n"y be !un shed. Howe$er, t understandab"e f a number of !eo!"e w "" ta)e the $ ew that some !ena"t es m!osed on certa n acts !un shed under the Act are too se$ere D ta)e the case of the husband $ent ng h s re on the fam "y go"df sh or the !ee! ng tom boyfr end, both of whom may be !un shed w th prision mayor. 8n h s boo) Moral Minds: How Nature Designed Our Universal Sense of Right and rong %200/&, Har$ard -n $ers ty !rofessor Marc A. Hauser wr tes; =nce !un shment has been estab" shed, the ne9t Euest on s, how muchF 'he retr but $ sts# answer s that the magn tude of the !un shment shou"d match the se$er ty of the cr me. As e$o"ut onary !sycho"og sts Mart n Aa"y and Margo 3 "son c"a m, th s !ro!ort ona" ty !ers!ect $e may be a core !art of human nature; 0<$eryone#s not on of #Cust ce# seems to enta " !ena"ty sca"ed to the gra$ ty of the offense. %!!. 11G1118&

'he boo) of <9odus# !rescr !t on of an 0eye for an eye7 and a 0tooth for a tooth7 ado!ts the !ro!ort ona" ty !r nc !"e %see <9odus 21;25&. Howe$er, n rea" ty, $ar ous "ega" systems ha$e m!osed !ena"t es that are not sca"ed to the gra$ ty of the offense. 8n fact, e$en the * b"e says; 08f a man stea"s an o9 or a shee! and s"aughters t or se""s t, he sha"" !ay f $e o9en for the o9 and four shee! for the shee!.7 %see <9odus 22;1, .ew Amer can (tandard * b"e& Aeterrence s the !r nc !a" Cust f cat on for m!os ng !ena"t es that are not sca"ed to the gra$ ty of the offense; 0'o gnore the !otent a" deterrence funct on of !un shment, n any form, s to gnore one of ts most s gn f cant educat on funct ons. 8f the !un shment s h gh enough, t w "" deter. Just mag ne what wou"d ha!!en f a m "" on1do""ar f ne was m!osed on !etty th e$es or !eo!"e who fa " to !ut money n a !ar) ng meter. (ure"y the rates wou"d go down. *ut here n " es the c"ash between the effect $eness of !un shment as a mechan sm of contro" and the sense of fa r !un shment.7 %Hauser, Mora" M nds, !. 119& Aoes the se$er ty of !un shment ma)e a "aw unconst tut ona" on the ground that t $ o"ates the 4onst tut ona" !roh b t on aga nst 0crue", degrad ng, or nhuman !un shment7F Henera""y, no. ,ob n Pad ""a made the same cha""enge and fa "ed. 8n Ro!in "adilla vs# $he %ourt of &ppeals, H.,. .o. 12191G, March 12, 199G, the (u!reme 4ourt ru"ed; <Eua""y "ac) ng n mer t s a!!e""ant#s a""egat on that the !ena"ty for s m!"e ""ega" !ossess on s unconst tut ona". 'he !ena"ty for s m!"e !ossess on of f rearm, t shou"d be stressed, ranges from rec"us on tem!ora" ma9 mum to rec"us on !er!etua contrary to a!!e""ant#s erroneous a$erment. 'he se$er ty of a !ena"ty does not !so facto ma)e the same crue" and e9cess $e. 08t ta)es more than mere"y be ng harsh, e9cess $e, out of !ro!ort on, or se$ere for a !ena"ty to be obno9 ous to the 4onst tut on. I'he fact that the !un shment author Jed by the statute s se$ere does not ma)e t crue" and unusua"# %25 4.J.(., 118G11188&. <9!ressed n other terms, t has been he"d that to come under the ban, the !un shment must be If"agrant"y and !"a n"y o!!ress $e#, Iwho""y d s!ro!ort onate to the nature of the offense as to shoc) the mora" sense of the commun ty.7 8t s we""1sett"ed that as far as the const tut ona" !roh b t on goes, t s not so much the e9tent as the nature of the !un shment that determ nes whether t s, or s not, crue" and unusua" and that sentences of m!r sonment, though !erce $ed to be harsh, are not crue" or unusua" f w th n statutory " m ts. Moreo$er, e$ery "aw has n ts fa$or the !resum!t on of const tut ona" ty. 'he burden of !ro$ ng the n$a" d ty of the statute n Euest on " es w th the a!!e""ant wh ch burden, we note, was not con$ nc ng"y d scharged. 'o Cust fy nu"" f cat on of the "aw, there must be a c"ear and uneEu $oca" breach of the 4onst tut on, not a doubtfu" and argumentat $e m!" cat on, 90 as n th s case. 8n fact, the const tut ona" ty of P.A. 18// has been u!he"d tw ce by th s 4ourt. Just recent"y, the 4ourt dec"ared that 0the !ert nent "aws on ""ega" !ossess on of f rearms Kare notL contrary to any !ro$ s on of the 4onst tut on. . . 7 A!!e""ant#s gr e$ance on the w sdom of the !rescr bed !ena"ty shou"d not be addressed to us. 4ourts are not concerned w th the w sdom,

eff cacy or mora" ty of "aws. 'hat Euest on fa""s e9c"us $e"y w th n the !ro$ nce of 4ongress wh ch enacts them and the 4h ef <9ecut $e who a!!ro$es or $etoes them. 'he on"y funct on of the courts, we re terate, s to nter!ret and a!!"y the "aws. ( m "ar ru" ngs were made by the (u!reme 4ourt n "eople vs# Ro!erto $iong'o, H.,. .o. 12B:/G, June :, 1998, and n (ovencio )im vs# "eople, H.,. .o. 1592G/, (e!tember 2G, 2002. 8n the Ro!in "adilla case %and other cases&, the (u!reme 4ourt "eft o!en the !oss b " ty that too se$ere !un shment may be obno9 ous to the 4onst tut on when t stated that 0to come under the ban, the !un shment must be . . . who""y d s!ro!ort onate to the nature of the offense as to shoc) the mora" sense of the commun ty.7 3 "" a 10 year, 1 day m!r sonment for a husband who ) ""ed the !et go"df sh and caused !sycho"og ca" stress to the !regnant w fe shoc) the mora" sense of the commun tyF Mou dec de. *Note: & se+uel to this article was posted on (une ,-. ,//0#1