ACT No.

3815 (December 8, 1930)

AN ACT REVISING THE PENAL CODE AND OTHER PENAL LAWS
Preliminary Article - This law shall be known as "The Revised Penal Code."
BOOK ONE
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
Preliminary Title
DATE OF EFFECTIVENESS AND APPLICATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS CODE
Article 1. Time when Act takes effect. - This Code shall take effect on the first day of January, nineteen hundred
and thirty-two.
Article 2. Application of its provisions. - Except as provided in the treaties and laws of preferential application, the
provisions of this Code shall be enforced not only within the Philippine Archipelago, including its atmosphere, its
interior waters and maritime zone, but also outside of its jurisdiction, against those who:
1. Should commit an offense while on a Philippine ship or airship
2. Should forge or counterfeit any coin or currency note of the Philippine Islands or obligations and securities issued
by the Government of the Philippine Islands;
3. Should be liable for acts connected with the introduction into these islands of the obligations and securities
mentioned in the presiding number;
4. While being public officers or employees, should commit an offense in the exercise of their functions; or
5. Should commit any of the crimes against national security and the law of nations, defined in Title One of Book
Two of this Code.

Title One
FELONIES AND CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH AFFECT CRIMINAL LIABILITY
Chapter One
FELONIES
Article 3. Definitions. - Acts and omissions punishable by law are felonies (delitos).
Felonies are committed not only be means of deceit (dolo) but also by means of fault (culpa).

There is deceit when the act is performed with deliberate intent and there is fault when the wrongful act results from
imprudence, negligence, lack of foresight, or lack of skill.

Title Three
PENALTIES
Chapter One
PENALTIES IN GENERAL
Article 21. Penalties that may be imposed. - No felony shall be punishable by any penalty not prescribed by law
prior to its commission.
Article 22. Retroactive effect of penal laws. - Penal Laws shall have a retroactive effect insofar as they favor the
persons guilty of a felony, who is not a habitual criminal, as this term is defined in Rule 5 of Article 62 of this Code,
although at the time of the publication of such laws a final sentence has been pronounced and the convict is serving
the same.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 386

AN ACT TO ORDAIN AND INSTITUTE THE CIVIL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
PRELIMINARY TITLE
CHAPTER 1
Effect and Application of Laws
Article 3. Ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith. (2)
Article 14. Penal laws and those of public security and safety shall be obligatory upon all who live or sojourn in the
Philippine territory, subject to the principles of public international law and to treaty stipulations. (8a)

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 292

CHAPTER 5
OPERATION AND EFFECT OF LAWS
Section 23. Ignorance of the Law. - Ignorance of the law excuses no one from compliance therewith.

Article VI 1987 Constitution

SECTION 11. A Senator or Member of the House of Representatives shall, in all offenses punishable by not more
than six years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while the Congress is in session. No Member shall be
questioned nor be held liable in any other place for any speech or debate in the Congress or in any committee
thereof.

REPUBLIC ACT No. 75

AN ACT TO PENALIZE ACTS WHICH WOULD IMPAIR THE PROPER OBSERVANCE BY THE REPUBLIC
AND INHABITANTS OF THE PHILIPPINES OF THE IMMUNITIES, RIGHT, AND PRIVILEGES OF DULY
ACCREDITED FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR AGENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Section 5. The provisions of section four hereof shall not apply to any case where the person against whom the
process is issued is a citizen or inhabitant of the Republic of the Philippines, in the service of an ambassador or a
public minister, and the process is founded upon a debt contracted before he entered upon such service; nor shall the
said section apply to any case where the person against whom the process is issued is a domestic servant of an
ambassador or a public minister, unless the name of the servant has, before the issuing thereof, been registered in the
Department of Foreign Affairs, and transmitted by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to the Chief of Police of the City
of Manila, who shall upon receipt thereof post the same in some public place in his office. All persons shall have
resort to the list of names so posted in the office of the Chief of Police, and take copies without fee.
Section 7. The provisions of this Act shall be applicable only in case where the country of the diplomatic or consular
representative adversely affected has provided for similar protection to duly accredited diplomatic or consular
representatives of the Republic of the Philippines by prescribing like or similar penalties for like or similar offenses
herein contained

COMMONWEALTH ACT No. 408

AN ACT FOR MAKING FURTHER AND MORE EFFECTUAL PROVISION FOR THE NATONAL DEFENSE
BY ESTABLISHING A SYSTEM OF MILITARY JUSTICE FOR PERSONS SUBJECT TO MILITARY LAW
Article 2. Persons subject to Military Law - The following persons are subject to these articles and shall be
understood as included in the term "any person subject to military law" or persons subject to military law, whenever
used in these articles:

a. All officers and soldiers in the active service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or of the Philippine
Constabulary; all members of the reserved force, from the dates of their call to active duty and while on
such active duty; all trainees undergoing military instruction; and all other persons lawfully called, drafted,
called into, or to duty or for training in, the said service, from the dates they are required by the terms of the
call, draft, or order to obey the same;
b. Cadets, flying cadets, and probationary second lieutenants;
c. All retainers to the camp and all persons accompanying or serving with the Armed Forces of the
Philippines in the field in time of war or when martial law is declared though not otherwise subject to these
articles;
d. All persons under sentence adjudged by courts-martial.