The House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Rep. Fredenil Castro on Thursday clarified that the Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10951 general provisions adjust the amount of the amended penalties and fines of crimes against property to help consolidate the justice system in the country.
RA No. 10951 amending RA No. 3815 otherwise known as the Revised Penal Code (RPC) was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last August 31, 2017.
“Nakita ng mababang kapulungan o ng Congress as a whole na hindi na angkop ang mga kaparusahan na nandyan sa Revised Penal Code sa ibang krimen na maaaring magawa o maisagawa ng isang tao,” Castro said.
Some of the adjustments on the value of property and damage pertain to crimes against property are theft and estafa.
For example, a person who committed theft worth P12,000 which happened 20 to 30 years ago is usually sentenced up to 20 years of imprisonment, however, the said value of money does not correspond to the present worth. Similarly, in estafa cases, the value of the fraud has increased.
“Maaaring 20 taon na nakalipas ay hanggang ngayon ay sya ay nakakulong pa rin. Kaya ngayon sa pagbabago o pag-amyenda ng batas nakita na ang value ay bumaba na pero may mga tao pa rin na sintensyado ng ating hukuman na nakakulong pa hanggang ngayon ang iba ay malapit nang mamatay and iba ay may mga sakit at ang iba ay incapacitated na,” he explained.
Castro claimed that this new law can have a retroactive effect to a person convicted of a crime but for those verdict that will be burdened because of the new law won’t be able to have the retroactive effect.
Fines which are increased on certain crimes against national security are treason and crimes against public order are rebellion and sedition.
The maximum fine for light penalties under the RPC, which carry imprisonment of “a minimum of one (1) day to a maximum of six (6) months” is increased from P200 to P40,000.
On the other hand, fines for correctional penalties, which carry a prison term of “a minimum of six months and one day to 12 years” is increased from a minimum of P200 to a maximum of P6000, is increased to a minimum of P40,000 to a maximum of P1.2 million under the new law.
Fines that exceed P6,000, considered afflictive penalties, carry an imprisonment of a minimum of 12 years and 1 day to a maximum of 20 years. Said fines are set at an amount greater than P1.2 million.
Fines previously set with maximum amounts of P5,000, P10,000, and P20,000, on the other hand, are increased to maximum amounts of P1 million, P2 million, and P4 million, respectively. | (Tina Joyce Laceda – PTV)
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